


But Would You Kill ME Dovahkiin?

by bean_girl



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: ?smut? eventually, Action/Adventure, Blood, Canon tho, F/F, Gore, Quests, Romance, Slow Burn, Vampires, Violence, bring down the vampires (but not really bc serana is a hottie), will someone die?? oooOOO
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:06:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25568707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bean_girl/pseuds/bean_girl
Summary: Zia was born into her role in Tamriel. She wanted to destroy any evil that threatened her peoples' way of life. . .and yet, something about this vampire was different than she'd expected.Follow Zia and Serana as they quest around Skyrim, developing as companions who don't stand in front of each other's doorways (thanks Lydia). Do they grow closer, or farther apart as Zia learns the truth about the woman and her family of vampires?
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Serana
Comments: 6
Kudos: 63





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first posted fanfic, please drop a ~kudo~ if you enjoyed! If not, lmk in the comments if I made any mistakes or you have questions. That being said, hope you enjoy, and lots to come :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> get through this awkward first scene and you're in for a good one 😉

My name is Zia. I am the Dragonborn. Ever since I woke up with my head on a chopping block, I vowed to rid darkness from Tamriel. That was going to start with the Nords who were going to kill me, but as soon as I felt the strength of the Voice within me, I was determined that something else was my calling. Defeating Aldiun, the World Eater.

I made my name known throughout the realm: defeating every dragon I’d faced, saving the lives of those I knew deserved better. I became Thane of Whiterun, Riften, and even a few other holds. But Riften was my home.

I was busying myself with an invisibility potion at the time (I found this nice recipe lying around so why not?), when I heard a scream outside Honeyside, my home.

In a flash, I had latched on my armor and was barreling out the door.

“Somebody do something!” I heard a voice call. To my right, across the way, half a dozen citizens were hacking and slashing at something. _Someone_. Not a thief again, I presumed. I didn’t order any of the guild to steal today, and especially at dusk. Any thief trying to steal at this time of day was a dead thief.

I craned my eyes whilst unsheathing my sword. _Magic_ was arching through the air, pushing the guards back. I saw the owner of the Pawned Prawn stumble to his knees.

My feet took me to the scene of the battle. Bodies littered the floor. Who would come into Riften and attack citizens?

My sword acted on its own, slicing through the nearest assailant. The blade cleaned the man’s head off. His eyes were already glazed over. I frowned, a Nord? But as quickly as he fell, a spark of magic flew at me, striking me in the chest.

I stumbled, feeling the sparks drain something within me.

The mage stepped toward me, unbothered by the mass of guards lining up to attack.

“Why is it you smell different from the others, Redguard?” The man sneered, “You’d no doubt be delicious.”

I staggered to my feet, swinging my arm low enough to cut down his legs. He stepped away; a grin plastered to his face. He was Altmer. Thalmor? No. Something was off about his eyes.

“Who are you?” I growled, feeling a strength grow in my lungs. I prepared a shout to freeze him on the spot.

Without a response, he launched a ball of red magic at me. My shield did nothing to stop its descent and the ball of magic sank through my armor. I gasped, feeling the life being sucked out of me. Red flecks from the ball flew back to him, and I realized he was taking my health as we spoke.

Ignoring the aching pain in my chest, I reached for my Thu’um.

“IIZ SLEN!” I bellowed, feeling the force drive itself out of my mouth, leaving a trail of shards as it went. The shout engulfed the man, overtaking his body, forcing his limbs to stiffen. He lost his balance, his entire body turned to ice.

I stepped over him, not sheathing my weapon.

There was _definitely_ something wrong with his eyes.

“Vampires!” One of the guards was at my side, hacking at the frozen man as he lied.

_Vampire?_ My head spun. Every time a new threat came, it always came as a surprise. First dragons, then werewolves, now vampires? What evil was destroying this world I’ve come to know?

“What’s happened here?” A man shouted from the other side of the main square. I rushed over to see what he had seen.

Before the man’s feet was the disfigured body of someone I knew. Someone I’d grown to love.

Balimund.

The smith had been killed first, it seemed. He was always dumb enough to rush to help those in need. His arms lied splayed across his chest; his legs bent unnaturally. He had a gash across his face. . .and two fang marks in his neck.

I fell to my knees, feeling my eyes well with tears.

Of all the times to die. It had to be when I could’ve saved him?

“Oh, Balimund.” I let my forehead rest on his unmoving chest, feeling the cold of his dead body drain the heat from me.

_“You’re quite welcome here.” He said to me, banging away on a red-hot sword. His back was turned, but it was the first thing anyone kind had said to me in this dingy little town. My eyes misted over, not even the thieves guild gave me the kindness he had. I brought them thousands in gold, became their Nightingale, sold my soul to Nocturnal; all they could say to me was “you don’t look like much to me”. But as soon as I showed kindness to Balimund, he taught me everything he knew. Trained me with new armors, new skills to become stronger. No one dared teach me anything without a little roughness around the edges._

__I was an idiot, thinking that growing attached to someone would turn out well. I didn’t even grow attached to Lydia, who helped me through so many dungeons and carried all my shit. Well, she was kind of an idiot I supposed.

I pledged to myself, with a lump in my throat, that one day I’d end every vampire who walked this land.

So, I set out to join the Dawnguard. Figured it’d be the first thing I could do to learn how to counter their spells. It didn’t take very long, just a few days trudging through the Rift until I came to the path I’d been told about. The Dawnguard wasn’t very informative with their recruiting, but I’d managed to find the small cave entrance one of them was rambling about.

Stretched before me was the most beautiful landscape I’d seen in ages. A waterfall at my right, blossoms at my feet, and the biggest castle I’d set eyes on, maybe even bigger than the Blue Palace in Solitude.

Excitement got the best of me, I ran past this shabby-looking boy staring into the lake and made my way up the hill. Near the entrance, a man was shooting what looked like a hand-held bow at a stack of hay.

“Hello!” I approached, weary that he could be trigger-happy.

I learned that his name was Durak. He was part of the Dawnguard, and friendly enough to give me his own weapon.

I studied the thing as I climbed the path to the castle. It was called a “crossbow”, you held it with two hands and could load it quickly with the bolt itself. To my surprise, it shot with more accuracy than I’d expected, and much quicker too.

Two men were arguing inside, so I crossed my hands several paces away and waited a moment for their attention.

Joining the Dawnguard would be annoying, I tended to enjoy working on my own. In fact, I was more successful on my own. Perhaps Lydia made me wary of companions. She always stomped around when I wanted to sneak up on enemies. Ideally, we wouldn’t have to work in groups, especially if that meant letting the others know I was the Dragonborn. I wasn’t intending to lead the Dawnguard, I just wanted to kill vampires.

“You, what are you doing there twiddling your thumbs?” One of the men called to me.

“I’m here to join the Dawnguard.” I straightened, looking him in the eyes.

“Good, it looks like you have some experience with fighting. Go with Tolan, he thinks there’s something special down in Dimhollow Crypt. _I_ think it’s a load of horseshit, but you might find some vampires there anyway.”

I nodded, shrugging my armor slightly. _That’s just what I wanted, an old man to accompany me._

“You there!” The man called, his gaze resting beyond me.

_Guess that’s one way to accept me into the Dawnguard_. I grimaced. They needed to work on their trust. Anyone could waltz in here, accept a quest, and sabotage everything they’ve built. I chuckled to myself, _at least I get to kill vampires._

The man named Tolan turned to me and gave me an odd look, I think it was his attempt at a smile.

“I’m certain vampires are there looking for something of great power. We need to go and stop them.”

“Sweet, I have to put some stuff down really quick, if you don’t mind me arriving late.”

“This is of utmost importance, but if you will, I’ll meet you there.” And with that, the older gentleman moved faster than I thought his thin body would take him. He sprinted out the front gate and didn’t stop running.

I nearly laughed out loud. I knew _I_ was eager to kill vampires, but this old man was on another level.

I quickly went through the things in my pack, unbridling extra potions and books I wouldn’t want to carry. There was easy stash in a chest upstairs covered with cobwebs, surely no one had opened this thing in a decade. My pack felt lighter as I shouldered it under my quiver. _That’s more like it, now I can move faster too._ And after a quick double-check on my elven armor, I was ready to set out.

My map unfolded gracefully in my hands. _Dimhollow Crypt. . ._ my eyes spotted the opening to a cave not very far off and I decided to make my way over on foot. It was not too far from the Shrine of that ugly Daedra I’d encountered a few moons ago, so I knew the paths.

Back when I had first started my quest to find more shouts, I was residing in Markarth. I had been testing out a few illusion spells on some wizard’s laboratory, found myself compromised, and in my haste, sprinted into some abandoned house. Down at the bottom I was greeted by a sort of shrine and a rusted mace. There a Daedra had greeted me going by the name of Molag Bal and he requested my soul for his work. At first, I considered agreeing, but when I realized he was asking me to kill for him, I refused. Ever since, Molag Bal had been torturing me with quests to bring him to power. Apparently, I was too good to give up.

I had made short work of the path to the Crypt, finding a local carriage driver who was willing to take me in the direction for a small amount of coin.

At the entrance to the cave, I unbridled my bow, checking the string and the feathers of my arrows. I was ready. Where was Tolan? But as I crept further into the darkening cave, it stretched wide above and below me. I heard voices ahead, standing to see if Tolan was already here.

“He put up a fight for a human. Normally they don’t go for the bloodhounds first, but I guess he saw some familiarity in the mutt.” A voice cackled.

I crouched back under cover. _Vampires. And they had killed Tolan? What was I supposed to do, continue the quest or report back to the Dawnguard?_

I pondered my situation for a moment. He was an old man anyway, but he seemed friendly enough, I was sad to see him so quickly murdered. I had settled on my decision. These vampires had to die.

Without so much as a whisper, I drew back an arrow, took aim, and loosed it onto the closest vampire.

The arrow struck him with a dull thud, his eyes widening as they traced the tip of the feathers down to the shaft driven into his chest. He fell backwards against the wall with a croak. The other vampire didn’t know what was happening before my second arrow slammed his head back. Whether his neck broke or the arrow in his skull killed him, I didn’t care.

It was too easy.

The deathhound at Tolan’s feet was bleeding out, whimpering as I stepped over to it. Then its fangs bared, and I saw my own surprised reflection in its dozens of razer-sharp teeth.

I put an arrow through its right eye.

I didn’t know Tolan, but it seemed a shame to let his body rest in this desolate cavern. I’d come back for him as soon as the job was done.

It seemed like hours as I trekked on through the maze of tunnels. Draugr to my left and right, sleeping a slumber that’d awaken at the lightest crunch of my footsteps. I had no intention of wasting my arrows on them, so I slinked past.

I encountered a few vampires, but they served no purpose to recall. A vampire was a vampire. Their deaths were just the beginning of what damage I’d blow to their kind.

I moved on through the tunnels and caverns, countless enemies lending me their gold. Finally, I came to a large door, engraved and reflective. _This must be where the vampires were headed. If so, why were there vampires posted further up the tunnels?_

__If there were something to fight down here, the vampires would have brought their full force. But if there were something to be gained from down here, only a few vampires of power would go down to receive that power. So there would only be a few vampires through this door, but they would be the strongest of the vampires I’d met.

I took a few deep breaths. . .and pushed open the door.

“I’ll never tell you anything, vampire. My oath to Stendarr is stronger than any suffering you can inflict on me.” A voice echoed up to the precipice where I’d crouched.

“I believe you, Vigilant. And I don’t think you even know what _you’ve_ found here.” A second, deeper voice boomed, “So go and meet your beloved Stendarr.”

_Stendarr? Who the fu—_

__My question was answered as I heard the first man cry out. A sound thundered through the cavern, as if his body had fallen onto the ground. _He killed him? The vampires weren’t working together? No, that man wasn’t a vampire. He was forced to lead the vampires here. Or he was guarding it?_ So, the keeper of the crypt was dead, that was a plus on my end. But there was the problem of the other man—er—vampire, who was rude enough to kill him.

I started down the steps, eager to get an angle on what the vampire was doing.

“Are you sure that was wise, Lokil?”

I froze at the third voice. There were two vampires down there now. Not too much of a problem, but if Lokil was tough to fight, the other one would get in the way.

I quickly drew an arrow, leaning over the railing to pick my target.

Further down the stone walkway, the two thinly dressed vampires whispered to each other, heading toward a small pedestal in the middle of a large circular platform. _That’s what they were here for! You have to kill them_ now _before they got to it._

__My first arrow sailed nearly 150 meters, lodging itself in the vampire whom’s name I didn’t know. He whirled around, mage fire blooming in his palms. _Shit, I thought that’d kill him._ I ducked behind the railing, nocking another arrow. _You got this, Zia. Chill._

As I shot back to my feet, taking aim at the vampire again, the feeling of my life draining from me flashed before my eyes. Goosebumps shook the back of my neck. I loosed the arrow, feeling satisfaction as I knew it’d strike home. _They won’t come close enough to drain your life this time._

The first vampire stumbled as the arrow pierced through his skull. Having picked up speed through the air, the entire shaft drove through his head, leaving only the feathered tip protruding from his forehead. His groan was breathless, I couldn’t hear it from so far away.

“You’re dead!” Lokil shouted, racing up the stones having spotted me from the platform.

I loosed an arrow into his left kneecap, frantically scrabbling for another arrow before he could be within range for his magefire.

I drew the bow back, half-draw, and released it. The arrow sailed limply toward him before he flicked it aside midair. _How was he so quick?_ My eyes glued to him, I dropped the bow and unsheathed my sword, flicking my own magic into my left hand. I’d forgotten that I had learned a small ward from up in Winterhold. It might come in handy today.

But I was mistaken. As soon as his wytchfire slammed into my ward, it burst into pieces. I struggled to re-cast it, but a red ball of fire slammed into my arm. Pain tore through my shoulder. _I wouldn’t be able to hold a shield for weeks._ Disregarding my limp arm, I threw myself toward him, lunging with my sword.

He didn’t expect the attack, taking nearly half of my blade through his torso.

But that only seemed to make him angrier.

“AHHH, YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS, HUMAN!” He roared.

Instead of using magic, his right arm came at me like a viper, grabbing the front of my armor and shoving me up against the wall. The movement was slow enough to see, but I didn’t like my odds. My sword was still stuck in his stomach and my nearest weapon was hidden in my boot.

He bared his fangs, eyes flashing with malice. His other hand grabbed my right arm, pinning it to the wall. I tried what I could, kicking at his hips. But it was no use.

The vampire grinned with fury behind his eyes, he knew he had won.

“Might as well use you for a little snack, Redguard. No one I’ve encountered in the last century has blood like yours.”

My eyes widened. _What’s with vampires and my blood specifically? Surely they’d drank Redguard blood before—oh right, Dragonborn._

He must have been weak from the attack, an arrow in his knee, and a sword in his belly. I did the only thing I thought would keep him from drinking my blood, draining me of life.

“FUS RO DAH!” I shouted, calling the heavens into my lungs.

The vampire was slammed by an invisible force, his grip leaving me in an instant. He crashed into the railing behind him and crumpled to the floor.

Before he could get up, I raced over and yanked my sword out of his side.

“No one gets to taste my blood, you demon.” I growled, raking my blade across his neck. His head lolled off his body. He was dead.

I stood in recovering silence, watching the vampire’s disembodied head comically bounce down the steps and disappear over the edge. _My shoulder must be shattered. But it was better off than Tolan._ I winced, thinking about the old man’s body miles up through the cavern. It was better though, for him to die this way. Rather death than be turned into a vampire. Or be consumed like _this_ one had just tried with me.

After a few minutes, I had wrapped my shoulder and drank a concoction of wheat and blue flowers. It tasted like bitter bread. But it would help my shoulder heal while I tried to escape this place.

_Onto the matter at hand . . .What were they looking for?_

__I stepped onto the circular platform, eyeing the surrounding pillars wearily. Nothing happened when the vampires were here, but considering I wasn’t a vampire, anything could go wrong.

But as I approached the center, all seemed normal. I stared at the pedestal, expecting something of power to be residing on top. To my surprise, it was a little pool of glowing purple light. _Was this to be collected? Surely there’s something more to this._ I lifted my left hand to touch it, knowing it was better to keep my sword hand intact in case this substance had any unexpected effects.

As soon as my hand crept over the edge of the bowl, a sharp spike elongated from the bottom and piercing through my palm.

I cried out, wrenching my hand away. The spike disappeared, and in its place rose a glittering powder around me. I stepped back, astonished, _why did it need my blood? Is this a Dragonborn thing?_ I gaped, seeing the lights form a circle around the center pedestal. _What if it’s a way to get an Elder Scroll?_

The leader of the Greybeards, Paarthunax, had told me a few weeks ago that I needed an Elder Scroll to defeat Alduin. I was preparing for the long trip to the College of Winterhold to inquire to any mages about it but killing vampires had consumed me.

Plus, I didn’t want to go back to the college after what had happened there. I was named Arch-mage! If you could believe it! I hadn’t learned anything past apprentice-level magic and they named me in charge. They thought I was some all-powerful mage, but none of them knew I just shot arrows at Morokei until I could grab that stupid staff. The minds of those people.

I was shaking my head in real life, imagine if I found an Elder Scroll here, after hunting to find _vampires_ of all things.

I was getting my hopes up. For all I knew it was probably just some blood that made them stronger. Glancing behind me, I saw a raised chalice carrying the glittering light. It seemed like I was in for another puzzle.

_Ancient tombs and their puzzles,_ I scoffed.

This one took me all but five minutes, pushing the chalices around until the path led back to the center pedestal.

As soon as the connection was made, the pedestal began to rise, shaking the earth beneath me. I watched it reaching further and further up, until it stopped at about my own height. _A person must be in here._

I raised my sword, watching as twin doors swung wide open to reveal what was inside.

A woman.

_A woman?_

__Said woman fell to the floor, catching herself before she smacked her face on the stone. She rose to her feet, curiously confused.

She had short dark hair to her shoulders, a distinctly _scandalous_ dress embracing her bosom, and the darkest of shadow over her eyes. I couldn’t prevent the one thing that entered my thoughts as her eyes locked onto my own.

_She’s beautiful._

__“Uhh. . .where is. . .who sent you here?” She asked.

My eyes widened; her soft voice sent a shudder through my limbs. It was like she had cast a spell on me. I couldn’t move my mouth. My eyes didn’t stop raking her body. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ My own heartbeat was racing up to my throat.

“That’s not your concern.” I growled.

I nearly gasped at my own hostility. Then I remembered what I had come for. And strapped across her back was a very distinct golden scroll. _An Elder Scroll._ I was right. Whoever this woman was, I had to take that scroll from her and hope it was what I had been seeking.

“I think it is, actually.” The woman set her hips, eyeing me with amusement, “Why would someone who isn’t. . .like me. . .come all this way down here?”

I blinked, and the realization dawned on me.

Her eyes weren’t dark because of the shadows, her irises were _glowing_. She was a _vampire_.

“Many a someone “like you” has died today.” I raised my sword to her throat.

She didn’t move an inch. She simply stared at me, eyes trailing the length of my arm, down my blade, and to how close the tip was to her throat.

“You’ll find it difficult to kill me, human.”

Without giving me the chance to open my mouth in response, her hand ripped the blade away from her own face. I felt a weight come over me and I lost my balance, falling backwards.

Suddenly, I was on my back, the weight of the woman crushing my existence.

If she hadn’t been cutting off the circulation to my head, I would have blushed. How this young woman had overpowered me within the clicks of a second was astonishing. And humiliating.

Then her hands were on my wrists, pinning them high above me with nails digging into my skin. The vampire’s knees dug into my hips and she craned her shorter body over me. When I tried to gather my Thu’um, my breath caught in my throat, feeling a cold scratch against my neck.

“I won’t kill you, if you promise not to stab me in the back when I release you.” Her voice was close to my ear. _Too close._ She could have bit me whenever she wanted. Tore out my throat however she pleased. But she didn’t?

All that escaped my mouth was an exhale. _Who was this vampire? Did she intend to Thrall me into submission? There’s no way I’d do what she wanted, but keep myself from stabbing her in the back? I could do that._

“Good.”

Then her weight eased off me and she brushed off her dress.

Keeping my eyes on her, I rose to a sitting position, rubbing my wrists.

“The Dawnguard would want me to kill you.” I frowned at the floor. I had failed. Failed to get the power in this chamber, failed to kill every vampire I’d ever encounter.

“You don’t seem too fond of vampires yourself. If you killed me, you’d only have killed one vampire—” _But I’d get the Elder Scroll_ “But if people are after me, there’s something bigger going on. I can help you find out what that is.”

I couldn’t believe my own emotions. Her proposition sounded like a good deal, and who wouldn’t want this gorgeous vampire at their side? _Not a member of the Dawnguard. Not someone who swore to kill every vampire in Tamriel._

“Why were you locked away like this?” I shook my head, disbelieving what was coming out of my own mouth. _Do I really care about why she’s here? The fact is that she_ is _here, and she’s carrying an Elder Scroll._

__“That’s. . .complicated.” Her eyes trailed off into the distance before returning back to me, “And I’m not totally sure if I can trust you. But if you want to know the whole story, help me get back to my family’s home.”

_Her family? Her vampire family?_ Maybe she’d lead me to where the vampires resided, where they came from. I could end this whole disease once and for all.

“Where do you need to go?” I met her with determination, standing and gripping the hilt at my hip. “My name is Zia, by the way.”

“My family used to live on an island west of Solitude. I would guess they still do.” The vampire gave me a small smile, “My name is Serana. Good to meet you.”

I suppressed the heat that rose to my cheeks, learning her name, greeting her like a companion. It was a normal conversation. But the woman was a vampire. No way would I consider her a companion, but I wondered to myself if I’d ever find anything besides suspicion in her eyes.


	2. Dragonborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two have to escape the crypt, learning a bit about each other on the way.

**Serana**

The first thing she did _not_ expect to see was a young woman with bright blue eyes staring her down in the cavern. But sure enough, here Serana was, conscious for the first time in a _while_ , making eye-contact with a human not a few years younger than herself. _Relatively younger, that was._

It was amusing when the woman held a sword to her throat, obvious she knew how to use it, but oblivious to who exactly Serana was.

_It’d take more than a blade to kill me, silly mortal._

Yet, finding out that the woman was specifically there to _kill_ vampires told her a lot about the developments in this world. She had been in a slumber for longer than anticipated. Humans knew about their existence, _and_ they had a group—the Dawnguard—seeking their elimination.

_Interesting._

It didn’t take long to convince the Redguard to lead her to her home. Just a bit of threatening and promise to help her find the meaning of her awakening.

Honestly the last thing she wanted was to go with her “savior” all the way to the castle, but it was better than arriving at the castle in general.

“Any idea how to get out of here?” The woman, Zia, asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Serana kept her mind on the woman’s movements as she scanned their surroundings. There was a vampire slumped over in the corner, and another beheaded up the steps. She presumed that’s where Zia had come from.

Before either of them made a move to leave, the floor started shaking like it’d come alive.

“What’s—” Zia’s eyes widened, her gaze trailing off to something behind Serana.

Serana turned, and instantly regretted it. Gargoyles. _Fucking hell._

“Quick, head back the way I came, I’ll hold them off.” Zia suddenly stepped in front of Serana, her sword raised.

_She’s insane._

“No, I’m not. Now, _go_!” Zia flicked her a look over her shoulder.

Serana didn’t realize she’d said it out loud and chuckled to herself. No way was she going to let her guide get herself killed. She readied magic into her palms, stepping beside the younger woman.

“We take care of them, together.” Her eyes fell to the darker skinned woman, seeing the shock in her expression. _Was that, blush on her cheeks?_

Zia had to get closer with the sword in her grip, so Serana stayed back, firing ice and shocks at the lumbering stone creatures. Their arms were thicker than Zia’s head, but the girl didn’t hesitate to slash at them. Even Serana was impressed as the blade basically melted the gargoyle’s arm off.

Seeing as Zia had one of them under control, Serana turned to the other, forming a ball of sparks and an ice spike in each hand. The gargoyle’s attention on Zia, Serana got the opportunity to throw her left, grab its attention, and throw her right.

The gargoyle howled, stomping over faster than Serana had expected. She leapt to the side just in time for one of its claws to come crashing down where she had just stood.

“Jesus, you don’t have any weapons?!” Zia called from a distance away.

Serana rolled her eyes, feeling for the dagger she’d stashed in her belt. Her fingers closed around the handle and she ripped it out, holding it at the ready. This time, when the gargoyle lashed, she waited for the last moment before stepping closer to the beast. Her elven dagger sheared through the gargoyle’s exposed throat, driving until it got stuck in its neck.

The beast howled like a lost puppy.

Serana couldn’t get her weapon out, so she rolled out of the way of the gargoyle’s swiping arms.

She made eye contact with the gargoyle, but to her shock, she didn’t see anything but determination in its eyes.

It was dying, but it wanted to take her with it.

Still on its feet, the beast staggered toward her, reaching with its disproportionate arms. She reeled backwards, steadily losing her balance as it slowly chased her.

 _Idiot, idiot, idiot! Turn around and run you dumba—_ She told herself, feeling her heels catch on everything behind her.

Then she was falling. Her arms swung in the air above her. The gargoyle’s jaws craned forward to snap her in half.

“For a vampire, I’d thought you’d know how to fight these things.” Zia’s voice split into her ears.

Serana _thumped_ onto the floor. Immediately after, the gargoyle’s head crashed at her feet.

She looked up. Zia’s face was alight, grinning over her.

“What—” Serana scrambled to her feet, surveying the situation. Zia had come to her rescue, shaving the monster’s head clean off. “What’s with you and beheading?”

The younger woman seemed to inspect her blade for blood, but seeing as the gargoyles were stone, she sheathed it instead. Zia shrugged.

“It’s faster than stabbing something to death.”

Serana took that as a direct blow to her method. She reached and took her dagger from the severed stone head.

“Normally when you stab something in the neck, it doesn’t _chase_ you. It dies.” She said that pointedly, glaring daggers at the woman, “I would know.”

Zia seemed at a loss for words, a darkness crossing her eyes. She turned away, eyeing the path upwards. Without a word, the Redguard started stomping up the hill, her eyes trained on something in the distance.

“Where are you going? You came from that way.” Serana stumbled to keep up, pointing behind them.

“I hear something.” She replied.

“You _hear_ something?” Serana craned her ears. Most vampires had stronger senses than humans, let alone _Redguard_ humans. She couldn’t hear a thing. The vampire trotted beside Zia, eyes searching her face for reason.

“Fine. Walk _toward_ the sound of something trying to attack us. Do you even know if this leads us out of here?”

“I’m your guide, aren’t I? Dungeons like these tend to have back exits that are quicker than the way you came.”

Serana shook her head, incredulous. How this woman had made it this far without getting killed was a wonder. But then again, she _had_ defeated those gargoyles without a scratch on her. Maybe she was tougher than she’d expected.

The two made their way through a twisting tunnel, and then she heard it.

It was like a deep droning voice, chanting something. Over and over. It sent a chill up the vampire’s neck.

Then the tunnel opened like a mouth around them. The cavern was bigger than the one she’d been imprisoned in. Like an amphitheater, the sides were a circular staircase and below them was an arrangement of chairs. About a dozen chairs with slumped figures positioned around what looked like an empty coffin.

Serana was about to walk down the steps, curious, when a force stopped her.

She looked down, Zia’s arm held her in place, outstretched across her chest.

“What is this place?” She got the message.

“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about those draugr.”

“Draugr?” Serana frowned, looking at the slumped figures in the chairs.

“Let me take care of this.” Zia unslung the bow she carried from across her chest, silently nocking an arrow and drawing it back.

As soon as the arrow hit the first draugr, Zia was sending another one loose. She hit three of them before they started to wake up. Two of them got out of their chairs, stumbling around with heavy weapons.

“Shit!” Zia whispered, grabbing Serana and yanking her to a crouch.

“Why don’t we just go kill them?” Serana frowned, drawing the dagger from her hip.

“Because _that_ one,” she pointed, “is a deathlord. And if there’s a _deathlord_ here, they’re guarding something.”

“Shoot them, I’ll creep up on the other sleeping ones.” Serana said, easing her way down onto the first step.

“You sure?” Zia didn’t meet her eyes, her gaze was trained on the draugr.

“Yeah, I’m a vampire. That’s what we do.” Serana tried at a joke. But Zia wasn’t going to laugh. Now wasn’t the time.

“And here I thought you’d slow me down.” Her lips curled into a smirk.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

As the vampire carefully picked her way down to the center of the room, she was surprised to see how quickly Zia dispatched arrows into their enemies. The deathlord draugr had five arrows in its chest by the time Serana had made her way down. In fact, it had fallen to the ground, wheezing.

Without a sound, she slit the throat of the closest draugr. It slumped over, a sort of magic dissipating from its body as the life left it. She moved onto the next and the next before coming to the only one left alive. It was stumbling around, shouting in Zia’s general direction, a sort of _Fus. . . ROH_ coming from its lungs.

She leapt to her feet, reaching around the tall skeleton and stabbing it in the forehead.

The draugr’s glowing blue eyes faded, and its form crumpled to the floor.

_Stabbing in the face is a much better method._

“That was great!” She heard Zia exclaim from above. The woman stumbled down the steps, taking two at a time, “I—I mean, I’m surprised you didn’t get caught.”

“You’re not too bad with a bow yourself.” It was Serana’s time to smirk.

Her compliment took the younger woman by surprise, as the excitement left her face to be replaced by shock.

“Thanks.”

Zia rubbed the back of her neck, looking embarrassed down at her feet. It was new, seeing the woman _embarrassed_ of all things. Serana found herself speechless too, who would have thought it took a _compliment_ to get this strong-willed archer to be abashed?

The moment was forgotten as the ground shook around them again.

“What is it this time?” Serana spun around, waiting for a new enemy to reveal itself.

Her question was answered by the booming chanting in the corner of the room.

“That’s for me.” Zia mumbled, stepping around her and heading up the stairs.

Serana was confused, but not surprised, as the young woman faced the booming voice atop the edge of the amphitheater. Suddenly, a bright light flowed from the rounded wall and encased Zia with wisps of color.

“Zia!” Serana called out, running up to help.

“It’s alright.” Her voice came from the glowing form.

She stood, arms outstretched, palms facing out, as the light seemed to dissolve into her body. A sort of strength exuded from the girl. Flashes of energy. Radiating heat. It felt like to touch her would be to burn, from the inside out.

“What was that?” Serana asked, afraid to come near.

“A word.” Zia turned around, seeing the vampire’s terror.

“A word?” She shook her head, “I don’t understand.”

“A shout. Thu’um. Granted to me by the gods.”

“What?!” Serana racked her mind for the memory of such a word, _Thu’um?_

Zia must have seen her shell-shocked expression, because she burst into laughter. The kind of laugh that made Serana’s own mouth turn up in a smile.

“I have been searching for new Thu’um, collecting dragon souls to strengthen them.”

“Collecting _dragon souls_?” It was impossible. The girl was impossible. “You’re Dragonborn?”

“Yes, I didn’t want to tell you. . . but it seems as if you would have found out eventually.” Zia clenched her fists at her sides. The girl looked like she wanted to say more. But she didn’t. Instead, she pointed to the other side of the room. “That’s the way we get out of here.”

“But how—” Serana, disheveled, swung her head around to the direction and back at Zia, “Dragons are back? Here, in Skyrim?”

“Yes, but not just _some_ dragons. Alduin himself.”

“You’re fucking with me.” The vampire scowled. _No way the World Eater had returned. It couldn’t mean. . .the prophecy. . . impossible._

“Not yet I’m not.” Zia’s face split with a grin.

Heat rose to Serana’s face. _Did she mean to say that. . .the way I think she meant?_ She couldn’t help the butterflies that rolled around in her stomach.

But then Zia blinked, and the expression was gone. Something warred behind her eyes, more than Serana could decipher. Then the woman jogged away, up the steps to the exit.

Serana inhaled, preparing to speak, but her own tongue couldn’t form the right words to say. It all happened in the span of less than a second, but she knew something was going on with the woman. She followed the Dragonborn to the doorway.

“Hey, I wanted to thank you—”

“It’s gonna be cold out there, you ready for it?” Zia cut her off, clearly not wanting to hear whatever Serana had to say.

“I’m a vampire, it’s what we’re used to—”

“Yeah, I’ve heard you say that already.” She opened the door.

Serana was taken aback. Not a few minutes ago they were sharing kinder words. Now she was cutting her off, being rude? What had happened within the last few moments that changed everything about the Redguard’s attitude?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! tbh i didn't expect anyone to read this, but hey wtf is uppp with Zia rn? did she forget she wasn't just there to manipulate serana into letting her kill her family??


	3. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this bish hella confusing, also Logic's last album is out! Go check Logic's new shit, he's my favorite rapper :)

**Zia**

I had to clear my thoughts. I couldn’t believe I had just flirted with a _vampire_. One minute she was awestruck by my “absorbing” a word of power, and the next I was acting like a child right in front of her.

It was almost painful to think that I was manipulating her this much. First promising to lead her to her home. Second, flirting with her?!

I shook my head, trudging through the thick layer of snow. Serana was paces behind, keeping up surprisingly well for a vampire who’d just woken up from who knows how long of a slumber.

But then again, I couldn’t forget how quickly she’d had me pinned. Her fangs scraping over my throat. Her hands digging into my wrists. If I wasn’t already pink from the cold, my cheeks were blasted with color. _How could she have overpowered me so quickly, if she couldn’t even kill the gargoyle?_ I corrected myself, she _almost_ killed the gargoyle. _Who could have known it wouldn’t die if you stabbed it in the throat?_

Now I was defending her? I threw up my arms, annoyed at myself.

“You okay up there?” She called, her voice sounding miles away.

I turned, but she was nearly a step behind. The wind at our forefront was throwing her voice. She barely missed running into me, her feet slipping in the sleet.

“Why don’t we turn in until the storm passes?” I wondered, seeing that small icicles had formed on her nostrils. It was almost comical, but I was sure I looked the same. My dark skin wasn’t used to the cold weather either way. It was luck that my armor had a thick hide underneath, otherwise I’d have frozen to death already.

“S-Sure.” Her teeth chattered.

Then I remembered that she was wearing a dress. A freakin dress out in this cold. The skin exposed on her chest had turned a shade of light blue as well. _Some guide_ , I scoffed at myself. _I’m supposed to get that Elder Scroll from her, not keep her alive._ But I needed to find this so-called home of hers to kill the rest of the vampires she lived with.

_Gods, why was everything so confusing?_

“Here, I remember there being a cave up ahead. Shouldn’t be too far.” I lit one of my hands with fire, holding it out to her.

She immediately reeled away; eyes wide.

“What? It’ll keep you warm.”

“Vampires don’t play with fire, Dragonborn.” She realized I wasn’t going to blast her and relaxed slightly, but her eyes remained trained on the plumes in my hand.

“Oh, sorry.” I withdrew it. _Good to know, vampires and fire. . .don’t mix._

I led her up the side of what I thought was the path, seeing an outcrop ahead. It wasn’t a cave, but it would shield us from the buffeting weather. I hunched over into it, immediately feeling the temperature rise by a couple of degrees.

She followed me. It was a good couple of meters into the mountainside, so sitting at the deepest end proved warm enough for me to be satisfied.

“Here.” I said, unclasping the armor at the shoulders.

“Don’t take that off.” Serana’s eyes flicked over me before returning to the wind storm outside.

“What do you mean? I was going to let you wear it, it’ll keep you warmer than—”

“Just don’t take it off.” She sat several paces away from me, drawing her knees up to her chest.

_She doesn’t want to keep warm?_

“Why not? I’m warm enough, I can make my own fire, you know.” I ignored her pressings and wrenched the armor off my frame.

Her eyes zeroed in on me, glowing bright red. I didn’t notice before, but her entire body was stricken, frozen in place. Tense. She looked frightened yet restraint.

“It’s been too long; you should cover up.” Serana’s voice came as a deep growl. Menacing enough to send a shiver up my neck.

“Oh.” Then it dawned on me, she’s a _vampire_. Who’d been locked up for _centuries_. Without _blood_. I moved to put the armor back on, but before I could lift it from the floor, I felt her press up against me.

Her hand was on my face, shoving my head to the side. She straddled my waist, bending over my throat. I felt her breath cold on my neck.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

My heart thumped out of my chest. She had my legs pinned at an awkward angle. I grabbed at her with my arms. Shoved against her hips as hard as I could.

She fell back with a snarl, landing on her side. Then she was up, crouched to spring at me again.

“Serana!” I screamed, grabbing for purchase on the edge of the wall behind me, “I _will_ kill you.” I ripped my sword from its sheath, leaping on top of her and holding it at her throat.

The vampire let out a throaty laugh that turned into a cough.

“You’re stronger than you look, Zia.” She wheezed.

I was surprised to hear her speak normally, but my sword stayed trained against her neck.

“Can you control yourself?” I asked, realizing my voice was wavering. I cleared my throat, speaking again, “Give me one reason not to kill you right now.”

“You can’t.” She bucked, trying to throw me off.

“I—I what?” My right-hand shook, the blade with it. The quivering metal pressed too deeply against her neck, but to my horror, the blade bent instead of sinking into her skin.

“I am one of the first vampires created, Dragonborn. I can only be killed by a certain _type_ of blade.” She faltered in her attempt to get free. Instead of fighting, she relaxed, eyes softening. “I don’t want to feed on you, Zia. I didn’t mean to lose control like that.”

“How can I be sure?” My eyes searched her for an answer. She seemed calm, too calm. _But she sounded apologetic. And how could she find her way back home without my help? She could head west, but if she were stopped by Dawnguard patrols. . ._

“You can never be sure. But you wouldn’t be able to stop me if I really wanted to.” Serana claimed, “It was good that you brought me back to my senses though. I didn’t want to bite you.”

“Bullshit.” I spat. _Take the scroll and leave, Zia. Do it. She’d never catch up to you if you used an ice form on her, some whirlwind sprint to take yourself farther away._ _Why not just kill her?_ Then a memory rang in my mind of what she had first told me _“If you kill me, you’d only have killed one vampire . . .”_

“It’s something about your blood. Normally I’d have much more restraint than this. It’s like you—”

“I’m Dragonborn.” I whispered, releasing my bent blade from her neck. I fell back on my haunches, still holding her to the ground.

“Perhaps that is it. Your blood is not blood very often found in my way of living.” Serana didn’t move, her eyes flicking back and forth like she was reading some book stashed away in her mind. “I promise I will not try to hurt you again while we’re on this journey. That was never my intention.”

I watched her expression, seeing the thought behind her eyes.

“Are you certain?”

She let the question hang in the air as she inhaled. It was like she was testing her restraint as we spoke, smelling my blood and shoving away her own desire.

“I believe that I have the strength now. I know what your blood smells like now. Before, encased in all that armor, I hadn’t noticed before. Being surrounded by this small cave, the smells bouncing off the walls. . .your heat the only thing for miles out. . .I didn’t realize the affect it’d have on me.”

I believed her. Some small part of my brain screamed danger when I let her up, but something else inside of me was stronger. Trust, that’s what it was. I’d never trusted a companion before. And it was hard finding trust in a vampire. Something was different about Serana though. She sounded like she regretted attacking me.

“Thank you.” She bowed her head to me before receding back to where she was sitting.

“How close. . .is too close?” I asked, trying to sheath my blade before realizing it wouldn’t fit anymore with the hitch in its edge.

“What do you mean?” Serana’s eyes found mine, searching.

“It’s a small place to rest. Should I go outside?” I gestured to the size of the room; it was about two meters in diameter. I’d be lucky if she didn’t pounce on me as I’d slept.

“No. It’s too cold, you’d die out there.” She looked around, “I will stay true to my word. This isn’t too bad of a distance between us.”

I nodded and began latching my armor back on. Better safe than sorry. A thought struck me as I clasped the last hook. _She said she was one of the first vampires created. That meant. . .I’d have a hard time killing her family. . .if they too were created in the beginning of the age of vampires._

“Serana, what did you mean by being one of the first vampires created?” No harm in asking.

“I wasn’t always a vampire, you know.” She straightened her back against the wall, “Do you know where vampirism came from?”

“I don’t know much about it.”

“The first vampire came from Molag Bal. She. . .was not a willing subject. But she was still the first. Molag Bal is—”

“I’ve met him. Evil daedra lord. Kills people for fun. Torture. Great dude.”

“Yeah. . .” Serana’s eyes dropped to the floor, “His will is made reality. For those willing to subjugate themselves, he will still bestow the gift, but they must be powerful enough in their own right before earning his trust.”

It made sense. I proved myself to him, hurting that priest. He would have taken my soul for himself if I continued with his proposals.

“How did you actually become a vampire, then? I heard it’s from disease.”

“The ceremony was. . .degrading. Let’s not revisit that. But we all took part in it. Not really a wholesome family activity, but I guess it’s something you do when you give yourselves to a daedric lord. In a way, my family got vampirism directly from him. The rest of Skyrim seems to contract it through disease, or when they’re turned by another vampire. This isn’t some watered down child’s power that you simply contract from another vampire. We’re pureblood creations of original vampires. We earned this.”

“Why would anyone want that?” I shook my head, “Don’t you regret becoming a vampire?”

“Well, nobody’s ever asked me that before. I . . .I don’t know. I think. . .mostly I hate what it’s done to my family.”

“So, you feel privileged? To willingly hurt people?” I asked, shocked that the woman didn’t regret her vampirism. Most citizens of Tamriel were devastated. But then, most Nords who contracted it were executed on sight.

“I might not enjoy hurting those I don’t wish to harm.” She looked pointedly at me, “but the powers from Molag Bal, the immortality he has given me, I will not take for granted.”

_Of course, she had to be dramatic about it._

“What are you going to do about it when we get to a town?” I was curious. Did she have the power to kill everyone in a town? A city?

She shook her head, staring off into the distance, “I don’t know, it’s been a while since I’ve been out of that coffin.”

“That’s true.”

I let the silence hang in the air, only the whistling of the wind outside could be heard. My eyelids drooped slightly, tiredness overcoming me.

“Let me take first watch.” I said, blinking to clear the sleep from my eyes.

Serana smiled for the first time in a while, it was almost comforting. “I don’t need sleep. Especially after being asleep for so long. You don’t have to sleep if you don’t trust me.”

“I—never said that. . .” I almost felt ashamed, but that’s exactly what I had been thinking. “I’ll stay up. Never know when the storm will clear.”

And with that, the room fell into silence again. It didn’t take long for slumber to overtake me, whether I wanted it to or not.

_Dovakiin. . . the words of Aldiun rang toward me like a Thu'um._

_I’m doing what I can. It takes time to find the power I need to defeat you. . .My arms felt like they were dragging through syrup._

_A scene in front of me unfolded. There was a child, tugging at the sleeve of someone. I looked down, and the child was tugging at my sleeve instead._

_“Dragonborn. Aren’t you going to help my momma?” The little girl pleaded up to me._

_I opened my mouth to reply, and a horde of bats flew from my mouth._

_The scene changed._

_I was standing in an open field, three dragons swirling around me. “Get back!” I shouted, shoving the little girl away. “Go find your mother!”_

_The little girl wasn’t moving._

_Dragon fire rolled down the hill ahead, scorching everything in its path._

_It was getting closer._

_I reached for the girl, but my hand disappeared through her form._

_She couldn’t be moved. I had to stop the fire myself._

_I raised a shout to my lips, waiting for the right moment to release. The fire came too fast. It bore down on me like a furnace. I felt my skin dissipate. My bones scream. The blood that pooled under my skin evaporated._

_I was looking down on myself, watching as the flames were a whirlwind around my body. They slowly died down, flickering with nothing else to burn. My own body was a skeleton._

_My eyes caught a mess of bones at the figure's stomach._

_My heart leapt to my throat._

_The bones of a baby. The woman had been pregnant._

“No!” I roared, flinging myself upright.

My eyes scanned the room. I must have fallen asleep, but who knew when. _Serana_. She wasn’t here.

There was the ringing of steel outside. The storm had stopped.

I gathered my things littered across the floor, cursing the bend in my blade. Ran outside, straightening as I emerged.

Two bandits lied dead on the floor. Up the path several feet was Serana, hunched over a third figure.

 _Is she hurt?_ I raced up to where she lied. “Serana!” I said, realizing the figure beneath her was unmoving.

The vampire turned to me, her body still leaning over the third bandit. She wiped the side of her mouth, staining a red swipe across her pale cheek.

_Oh._

“Sorry, I tried not to wake you, but these bandits were louder than I’d hoped.”

I didn’t say anything. I looked back at the two lying dead on the road. They weren’t bleeding out. They probably didn’t _have_ blood in their bodies anymore.

I turned back to Serana, “Had your fill?” A much as I didn’t like her hurting people, they were bandits. And as much as I despised vampires, better them than me.

“I made you a promise. I intend to keep it.” She stood, using her tongue to swipe what little blood remained over her fangs. Then her mouth closed, and opened again to reveal their disappearance, “This is the way, yes?”

 _She dealt with three bandits all while I was asleep?_ I knew she was skilled, but maybe it was most useful against humans. The thought made me grimace, to imagine she was created only to wreak havoc on people. Just like the dragons. She was no different.

“Yeah, there should be a town up ahead.”

We took to a tavern, gods knew how starving I was. I almost envied Serana's ability to eat only every few days. _Although_ , I thought to myself as I shoved a piece of salmon into my mouth, _food was delicious._

I froze mid bite. She had cravings for food just as I had. She enjoyed blood just as much as I enjoyed baked potatoes, apple cabbage soups, cooked meats and spices.

The vampire made her way over to where I sat in the corner of the tavern. She slid onto the bench across from me, hefting a large bottle onto the table. _Who was I to say she didn’t want to drink blood? The woman’s only source of food was blood. She_ had _to hurt people to stay alive._

“I didn’t know what to say to the tavern master, so I bought you this wine. Hope you’re interested in something like this.”

I chuckled, “Leave it to the vampire to tempt her cattle with alcohol.” She gave me a glower and fixed her gaze on the food at my plate. “I’ll drink it though, it’s been a while since I had some good alto wine.”

Her eyes followed my hand as I reached for the bottle, flicking the cork off the top and taking a large gulp. The liquid flowed like water down my throat. I was parched, surely the wine could fix that.

“When do you think we’ll be heading back out?”

“We’re not too far from Morthal. We can go as soon as the sun rises. And I work out that nick in my blade.” I said through the bread in my mouth. I washed it down with more wine.

“Sorry about that. I should have told you before you tried—”

“You said only a certain type of blade would hurt you?” I kept my eyes low, “I’ve been thinking about what you meant. . .” Her eyes seemed to bore a hole in my face, through my skin, “. . .only daedric blades, right?”

The woman didn’t say anything, telling me exactly what I wanted to know.

 _How was I supposed to cast a daedric blade in between here and arriving at her home?_ There was no way I’d be able to work on one when we got to Solitude. And the nearest daedra heart was back at Mehrunes’s shrine.

“I’m gonna go get a room.” Serana said, leaving me to my thoughts.

She seemed upset. Sure, I just figured out how I could kill her entire family, but was I being obvious with my plan? She needed me just as much as I needed her. It’d be difficult for her to get all the way up north without my help.

“Suit yourself.” I muttered, watching out of the corner of my eye as the vampire stalked off. “More wine for me.”

“Hey, I noticed you’re enjoying that whole bottle alone. . .mind if I join you?” A man said behind me.

I turned, my mouth full, “Fuck off.”

“Jeez. Can’t a poor beggar get some company nowadays?”

“You’re a poor beggar, the last thing I want is my pockets emptied because I tried to be _kind_.” I took the last piece of salmon off my plate and gripped the wine bottle as I stood. “You can have the rest of my bread if you’d like.”

His eyes lit up and only then did I realize how frail the man was. I left the last bit of salmon on the plate too.

Almost instantly after I took my first step, I realized I’d drank too much. The blood rushed from my head. I presumed that I’d eaten enough, but apparently alcohol worked faster . . .and I’d gulped down nearly two thirds of the bottle within a few minutes.

I forced my vision to clear, stumbling over to the lady at the bar.

“Got any rooms?” I quipped, feeling my tongue start to drag behind.

“No, my last one just closed up.”

I cursed myself. It was nearly nightfall too. I couldn’t just wait around drunk at this tavern, she’d likely kick me out for trying to sleep at a table. Then I remembered that Serana rented a room.

“Where’d the uh. . .” I had to stop myself from calling her a vampire, “lady go? I came in here with her, we’re traveling together.”

“Which one?” An eyebrow shot up on the woman’s forehead.

“She has short black hair, braids tying around her head. Uh, sharp cheekbones, bright eyes. . .she had a um—” I racked my brain for the image of Serana, “—a cloak and a red dress?”

“Mhm, third door on your right upstairs.”

I followed where she pointed, feeling my mind reel at the thought of having to count doors. _Count doors? What, I can’t handle my spirits anymore?_

Reached the third door. Gave it a knock. Heard a small voice allow me access.

“Serana? You in here?” I leaned my weight on the handle, letting it creak open.

She sat at the end of the bed, unlacing her boots. Refusing to meet my eyes.

The room was small, smelled a little dingy and faintly of musk. Like most rent rooms. The curtains were drawn over the window at the back and the evening light threatened to creep through the cracks in the thick fabric.

I blinked, shutting the door behind myself. Set down the bottle of wine. _Should I sleep on the floor?_

“If you’re wondering, you can sleep here. I intend to—”

“Keep your promise.” I raised my voice. “You didn’t hurt me last time I fell asleep around you.”

My thoughts were a mess. I didn’t know if I wanted to sleep in the same room as her. She had so many opportunities to kill me already. First at the crypt and then when I was asleep when the bandits attacked.

And yet, she hadn’t.

I had so many opportunities to kill her too. When the gargoyle was about to bite her in half. When she tried to waltz into the room full of draugr. Even now I could shout the word “vampire” and a dozen guards would come to attack.

And yet, I chose to keep her alive.

_Yeah, idiot, you need her to lead you to the rest of her kind._

Even as the thought crossed my mind, I knew I was lying to myself.

I didn’t keep her alive because I was using her. I was keeping her alive because I _trusted_ her.

I shook my head, _the wine must be getting to me_.

“Are you okay?”

My eyes flicked from the floor to her glowing red irises. It almost felt like the same exact thoughts were quarreling in her mind too. _Was it right of me to make the first move? What kind of hypocrite did it make me, promising to rid the world of darkness, when I would be the first aggressor?_

“What kind of question is that?” I bit back, pulling the wine back to my lips. _Let this sweet liquid release me from these questions._

“You don’t think you’ve drank enough?” To my surprise, the vampire looked worried. Worried about me.

The thought that she dared care about me when I was plotting to murder everyone she knew tore guilt through my heart. With it rose a furious bile. “I’d think twice about judging how much _I’ve_ drank. At least I didn’t have to _kill_ anyone to drink.”

My words made her stiffen. An angry satisfaction brewed on my tongue, and I prepared to lash out another remark.

“Just don’t drink yourself to death.” She looked away, a distant expression tearing her gaze.

Her words, like before in the dungeon, weren’t meant to hurt. Serana meant it caringly. Like she _cared_ about me.

Blood rose to my cheeks. I didn’t know if it was out of embarrassment or anger. I decided on the latter and chose not to respond. Instead, I chugged the rest of the wine like it was my lifeline in a torrential river.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm finna update every day or so. it's a boring week y'all


	4. Drunken Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's getting mature y'all, stay safe  
> (it's gay dw)

**Serana**

“I’m gonna lie down over ‘ere.” Zia grumbled. Her feet shuffled on the floor. She most _definitely_ didn’t look capable of handling her liquor.

“Let me help.” Serana stood. She laced a hand around the Dragonborn’s shoulder and directed her toward the other side of the bed.

“No.” The woman drunkenly knocked her hand away. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“You’re ridiculous. You haven’t slept since that cave on the side of the mountain. It’s been two days.”

“Well. . .” Zia’s lips smacked together, like her tongue was getting caught in her own confusion.

“Well, what? You’re drunk, you won’t even remember.” Serana turned her around and pushed her back on the bed. The redguard’s blue eyes met hers as she sat ungracefully. The weariness in them nearly made her heart stop (if it were beating, that was).

She had pushed herself too hard. The poor woman was so afraid of Serana’s betrayal that she’d refused to sleep unless her own body knocked her unconscious. Now was one of those times. The older woman could _see_ how close Zia was to falling over. Then again, she had drank that entire bottle of wine too.

“Zia, I’m going to take off your boots okay?” Serana bent, feeling odd as she had to stop the Redguard’s legs from swinging.

Serana flinched as a warmth touched the top of her head. Zia’s fingers had traced through her hair, a heavy hand coming to rest.

She looked up, confused, but nevertheless expected the woman to be holding a dagger to her throat.

“Serana, I don’t think I’ll be able to kill you.”

Her hands froze on the lacing. Zia wasn’t wielding a dagger. Instead, her face shone with anguish. As if her only hope was to kill Serana, and somehow, she couldn’t.

She had no idea what to think. What to say, in the least, how to respond to something like that. _How drunk was this woman?_

“I’m gonna go to sleep, is that okay?” The hand left her head. Without waiting for her boots to be completely undone, the woman rolled over onto the bed and turned her back to Serana.

The vampire moved quietly, standing and frowning at the situation. _What did she mean? She didn’t have any daedric weapons? Or she didn’t want to kill me?_

“Zia, what do you mean?” She asked, her voice ringing in the silence.

“Mmm, you’re too much.”

It came out as a grumble. The woman’s face was pressed into the pillow, her voice muffled. Serana paced around the bed so she could see her.

“Tell me what you mean.” 

“I’m a terrible person, I don’t deserve your kindness.” The redguard huffed. _There was no way she’d say something like that with any consciousness left in her body. The woman wouldn’t recall a thing of what she’d said tomorrow._

Serana, yet again, was shocked. She sat down on the side of the bed, deciding not to respond. The woman was already asleep, snoring into the pillow. How she could fall asleep with the weight of all that armor on was a wonder. Then again, the woman probably didn’t even realize she was asleep.

Her eyes flicked open when a weight shifted on the bed. Serana hadn’t been asleep. She’d gotten enough of that from the crypt already.

Lying unmoving, she craned her eyes to the other side of the bed.

Zia was standing, adjusting her belt. It was the middle of the night. Surely the Dragonborn wasn’t ready to travel after how much she drank the evening before? The woman turned her head in her direction.

Her eyelids squeezed shut, hoping the other woman didn’t notice her spying.

“Right.” The girl murmured. Her footsteps creeped to the other side of the room, slipping the door open.

As soon as the door shut, Serana sat up. _What is she doing?_ She checked on the Elder Scroll, relief rolling through her when she spotted it right where she’d left it. _Then where is she going? Is she bailing on me?_ No, the woman wouldn’t bail. Maybe she had to piss?

But as time ticked by, Serana felt as if her travelling partner hadn’t left to relieve herself.

She swung the door open herself, scanning the lower tavern for Zia. _She went outside?_

Her feet carried her outside. The vampire’s eyes could see well in the dark, but it wasn’t perfect. A few guards paced the pathway down the road. Suddenly, a voice split the darkness.

The door to an alchemist’s hut had opened across the way.

She heard Zia’s voice, “Have a good night, Lami.”

Serana panicked, slipping back into the tavern. She headed up the stairs back to their room before Zia arrived in the building. Lying down, she rolled onto her side so she could keep her eyes open.

The door opened to their room not a moment later.

Zia shuffled in. Out of view, it sounded like she had set down a bottle.

“I know you’re awake.” She said aloud.

Serana craned her neck, looking at the woman in the darkness. Her brown hair that had been pinned back fell to shape her face, falling over her shoulders. Zia was unclipping her belt, lying the sheath by the side of the bed.

“I know it’s none of my business, but where did you go in the middle of the night?”

“I fetched a potion, nothing out of the ordinary.”

The vampire was surprised that the Dragonborn would even tell her.

“Are you feeling alright?” She asked.

Zia hesitated, probably only seeing the glow of the vampire’s eyes before taking off her armor. Serana sighed and rolled onto her back. She stared at the ceiling. _Not responding anymore are we?_

She didn’t reply until all her armor was off. “It’s a cure disease potion. I figured it’d be good to have in case something happened at your house.” The woman eased her weight onto the bed with her eyes trained on the vampire. “Am I good to lie down?”

Serana nodded before realizing the woman wouldn’t see it, “I won’t bite you.”

Taking it as a go ahead, the Dragonborn made herself comfortable.

_It’s going to be a long way back home, isn’t it?_

Serana sighed and prepared herself for the sleepless night. A thought struck her as the woman’s snores began to echo around the room.

_Why did she buy a potion in the middle of the night, of all the time in the day? Why wouldn’t she wait for daytime unless she had something to hide from me?_

**Zia**

I knocked on the door to Thaumaturgist’s Hut, surveying the tavern while I waited. I was sure I’d seen the glow of Serana’s eyes right before I had left. The vampire would no doubt either follow me or ask questions when I got back.

“Strange night it is, finding a warrior outside the shop.” Said a raspy voice behind me.

I turned, spotting Lami leaning on the doorframe. She had one hand on her hip, the other poised on the door handle, ready to slam it in my face.

“Wait!” I whispered harshly, “I need a favor.”

“After all you’ve done for me? Not sure if this counts, but I do owe you something.” Lami gave me a sultry look.

I blinked, not responding to what she intended.

She waited for me to say something. When I didn’t, she sighed and opened the door wider.

“Come inside, you’re letting the heat out.”

I nodded my thanks and found a seat by the small fire. She wasn’t wrong about it being cold outside. I moaned as warmth enveloped my hands by the hearth. I could finally feel my fingers for the first time in several days.

“I need a daedra heart.”

“Hmm, there’s probably one lying around in here somewhere.” Lami paced around the room, reaching beyond my field of vision. “Yes, in fact, we still have one in stock. It’ll be two hundred.”

I groaned, _two hundred?_ I hardly had enough to buy a horse at this point. I should have looted all those vampires back at the crypt, what was I thinking, they’d come back from the dead to retrieve their gold?

“Is there anything I can do to make it just a hundred?” I stood, brushing my now too-warm hands on my legs.

“Well. . .” Lami’s eyes lit up, “How much time do you have?”

“About twenty minutes, give or take.” _What was she getting at?_

“If you do well, I’m sure we can make it just a hundred.” She smirked. Planting the heart on one of the cabinets, she started walking toward me.

I noticed the intentional sway of her hips. _Does she mean. . ._ But my thoughts were cut off when the front of her blouse unraveled before my eyes. Heat rose to my cheeks. _She really meant it?_

The nearly naked woman let my gaze travel the line of her collarbone, to the curve of her breasts, all the way down to a triangle of curly hair between her thighs.

She planted a hand on my chest, walking me backwards. The backs of my knees gave against the chair and she swung her legs over my hips, sitting to straddle me. Even through my plated armor, I felt enough of her warmth for it to pool need down to my core. My bare hands traced up her thighs, grazing the skin under her long blouse.

“Do _me_ well enough, Dragonborn, and you can have it for free.”

Her lips met my own. My hands went to work.

I was lucky to get away with my charade in the middle of the night. I made sure to grab a potion, a _convincing_ potion, before Lami had finished getting dressed. By the gods it took a lot to get the woman to give me a daedra heart in the middle of the night. But at least she was too preoccupied to notice how desperate I was for it.

As I made my way back to the tavern, I noticed the door hastily being shut behind a dark figure.

I narrowed my eyes; _she did try to follow me_. Although not quickly enough, apparently. I’d gotten all I needed.

I slipped my way back into the room, careful not to awaken anyone else sleeping nearby. Serana was awake inside, her eyes alighting the side of the room with a faint glow.

“I know you’re awake.” I grunted, setting down the potion. I checked to make sure the daedra heart was secured in my pack before taking it off.

Serana turned to face me. A shudder ran up my spine. It was like she was staring into my soul.

“I know it’s none of my business, but where did you go in the middle of the night?” She asked in reply.

I frowned. _Do I tell her?_ I felt guilty, plotting behind her back. She must’ve suspected that I was unusually compliant. Especially for being a human guide. Let alone, a human in the Dawnguard.

“I fetched a potion, nothing out of the ordinary.” I quipped.

“Are you feeling alright?”

Her tone struck me.

It occurred to me that I was the one hurting myself. If I hadn’t snuck out to buy the supplies needed to kill her family, her kind response to my jeers wouldn’t be as painful to hear.

Suddenly, it got much too hot in the room.

I started ripping off my armor. A headache tore through my skull, pounding against my forehead.

I decided against too much deception and replied, “it’s a cure disease potion. I figured it’d be good to have in case something happened at your house.” _Telling her about the daedra heart would be too cruel after I just got it, huh?_

I eased my weight onto the bed, pausing as I forgot that the woman next to me was a vampire.

“Am I good to lie down?” I inquired.

“I won’t bite you.” Her voice sounded small.

She knew I was lying. There was something in that gaze that could read me better than I could read myself.

But as soon as my throbbing head hit the pillow, I was engulfed by sleep.


	5. Ode To Insightful Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Solitude is fun :)

_A giant floating glob hovered above me. It had tentacles that wrought around its frame, twisting and gnarling like it were trying to consume itself. There were eyes on the blob, watching me, unblinking._

_“Who are you?” I shouted, reaching to touch the beast._

_It simply wafted away, drifting further and further upwards until it became a tiny speck in the sky._

_Hermaeus Mora. The name clicked in my head. Whatever this beast was, it was watching me._

_The bright sun blotted out my vision as I gazed into the sky. For a moment, I couldn’t see anything at all. I flung my head back and forth, panicking._

_My world had turned black._

_“Be calm, Zia.” Echoed a soothing voice._

_Soft hands wrapped around my face and thumbs brushed against my cheeks. Comfort billowed across my features from the touch. Tingles erupted throughout my entire body._

_“You will have peace. . .” The voice told me._

_I waited for my eyesight to come back, but it didn’t. Imagining a world of blindness struck me with terror. I didn’t realize I had stiffened when someone’s soft lips embraced me._

_The kiss blossomed like a wildfire, arching emotions through my mind._

_Our tongues intertwined._

_Desire._

_Arms wrapped around my waist._

_Shame._

_Hands found their way up my tunic._

_Fear._

_Cold fingers left goosebumps on my back._

_Want._

_Teeth tugged on my lower lip._

_Need._

_My vision flashed with color._

_I gasped with astonishment. Glowing red eyes met mine. Cold fingers had me in their embrace. Fangs dripped with small droplets of blood from my lip._

_No, anyone but Serana._

“No!” I exclaimed, sitting upright in the bed.

The very same vampire was eyeing me curiously from the corner of the room.

“No, what?” Her voice echoed.

I flinched. It was the same voice in my dream. How had I not noticed?

I filtered my fingers through my hair, thinking. _Why couldn’t I just dream about someone else? There were plenty of_ other _maidens I’d bedded, why the one woman I vowed to kill?_

“It’s nothing, just a dream.”

Swinging my legs off the bed, I decided to ignore her for the rest of the morning. We gathered our things in silence, granted, she had been ready to head out already.

“I was thinking of getting a horse. The way's going to be long and arduous. Might as well make it fast.” Not to mention I wanted her out of my sight as quickly as possible.

Serana simply nodded and followed me out of the tavern. We made our way to the stables, passing through the town. I couldn’t help but notice Lami eyeballing me from outside the alchemist’s workshop. The sight of her brought back my dream about Serana. I shuddered, shaking it out of my head.

“Hi, how much for two horses?” I asked the stable boy as we approached.

“One thousand six hundred for both.” He turned, “But if you wanna ride together I’d give you one for a thousand.”

“One for a thousand? That doesn’t sound like a good deal.” Serana scowled at him.

“Pa said people were more inclined to pay more if it meant a good deal.” The boy showed her a toothy grin, err, tooth _less_ grin, “So it’s a thousand for one or a thousand six hundred for two.”

I rolled my eyes, snatching the bag of gold from around my waist. I was certain I had only about twelve hundred. That was the usual amount I carried before going to a dungeon, it would cover a horse if my old one got killed (which it usually did) and pay for any food I needed on my quest.

“How about twelve hundred?” I asked, shaking the gold to get his attention.

His eyes widened before the man shook his head.

“Nah, twelve won’t do. It’s sixteen hundred or just one horse, sorry ma’am.”

I turned to Serana, “You don’t happen to have any money, do you?”

“I spent what I found at the crypt on the room. Sorry.” Her eyes searched mine, “Surely we’d both fit on one horse?”

“That ya would, milady.” The stable boy reached for the reins of the nearest steed, pulling him away from a pile of hay, “This here’s Sammy, our strongest one, he’ll carry ya both no doubt to Hammerfell and back.”

“Thanks.” I dropped the money into his hand and exchanged it for the reins. _Might as well, I’ll be heading back to Riften on my own anyway._

He was already saddled. I hefted myself on top of Sammy and looked down at Serana.

Her eyes seemed to be questioning me, _is it okay if I ride behind you?_

I knew it meant she’d have full access to my neck, the very place I feared she lay her fangs. But I wasn’t going to let her steer. Gods knew how long it was since the woman rode a horse.

Instead of replying to her silent question, I reached down, holding out a hand.

Serana took it and I helped her up. The steed beneath us neighed, compensating for two riders.

I tapped on the sides of the horse, getting a feel for the stirrups.

Sammy shot forward, feeling my kicks too hard. He lurched us down the road at nearly full sprint.

“Damn horse!” I spat, pulling back the reigns.

Serana crashed into my back as he slammed to a halt. Arms fell across my waist, a body crushing against me.

“Sorry.” She breathed.

Her cold breath tickled my neck and I couldn’t suppress goosebumps from rising on my flesh. Her hips molded against my backside as her chest pressed into my back. I pushed my imagination away, ignoring the tug in my gut at her proximity.

“N-No worries.” I stammered, knuckles turning white on the reigns.

“Been a while since you rode anything, huh?” Her voice chimed from behind me.

I racked my brain, _she’s flirting right? Two can play at that game._ “Actually, I prefer to be ridden myself.” I smirked back at her.

The vampire's eyes widened before searching the sky in embarrassment. Her arms didn’t leave my waist; rather, they tightened us closer together.

Even as I urged Sammy on at a slower pace, the race of my own heartbeat reverberated through my chest.

_Get her home. Don’t make nice. Finish what you came for._ I repeated the same three sentences in my head as we galloped along. It became my mantra.

A few wolves tried attacking us on the road.

_Get her home._

My bow flew into my hands.

_Don’t make nice._

An arrow sliced through the first wolf’s hide.

_Finish what you came for._

I was readying another arrow, but Serana’s bolt of ice finished the other wolf.

I blinked, kicking at the horse again. We were nearly halfway to Solitude before I heard Serana saying something.

“What was that?” I asked, slowing our pace.

“I was saying that from the castle, you used to just be able to see Solitude over the mountains.” Her voice was soft in my ear.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. _Castle_? She never mentioned anything about her home being a _fucking castle_.

Whatever response she was waiting for, she wouldn’t receive. I simply urged Sammy forward. The faster we’d get to Solitude, the better.

Time gave me the chance to think. If I were to fight off an entire castle full of vampires, I’d need something better than a bow or a sword. An army would be best. The likelihood that the Dawnguard would trust me after helping this vampire was slim. But if I knew where an entire horde of vampires were lying, I was sure they’d be willing to tear the castle down.

The stretch of the hold loomed before us as we approached.

“Are we stopping here?” Serana asked when we had slowed down.

“Yeah, I think it’d be nice to rest before showing up at your uh. . .castle.” I slipped off the horse, taking his reigns before the beast could bolt.

“It’s not too far west of here. We could make it before sundown if you’d prefer.” Serana didn’t get off.

“I’m hungry.” I lied. “You’re welcome to come with me if you think I’ll tell the guards on you.”

Somehow, the vampire didn’t show any emotion. She simply hopped off the horse and stood at my side, neck craning up at Solitude.

“I don’t trust you very much.” She admitted, “but you haven’t tried actually killing me yet.”

“Well, there were a few times when I—”

“You weren’t exactly trying back then though, were you?” Her eyes leveled with mine, dangerous.

“Guess you’re right.” I grumbled.

It meant she was coming with me but worded so I’d think she trusted me.

_Manipulative? Or simple kindness?_

After giving my horse over to the stable boy, we made our way up to the guards keeping watch at the doors.

The castle was made of hard stone. Bricks laid out by hand and smoothed by the harsh northern weather. The palace jutted out on a cliff to the right and a small dock rose from the water below. I knew the hold was bigger than Whiterun, for I’d done my fair share of work for the Thieves’ Guild in the Blue Palace itself.

“Halt citizen.” The guard to our left commanded.

“Wait. . .I know you.” The guard on the right said. His beady eyes flickered from behind his helmet and he took a step forward. “You have committed crimes against Skyrim and her people. What say you in your defense?”

The other guard unsheathed his sword, his imperial blade reflecting the sun into my eyes. I winced.

“How much do I owe exactly?” I raised my hands, showing no resistance.

“One thousand, nine hundred and sixty-four gold.” He growled, also unfurling his weapon.

_Jesus, what did I do, kill the empress?_

“How about two hundred, I’m with the guild. Is this enough to clear my bounty?” I reached for my bag of coin.

The guard’s eyes flitted to the other guy next to him and frowned, “That’s a bit short. You can’t pay us off for stealing the clothes off our Jarl’s back!”

“I’d rather die than go to prison!” I exclaimed, reaching for _Chillrend_ at my hip.

“Then suffer the Emperor’s wrath, thief!” He lunged.

I barely had enough time to block the blow with the flat of my blade. His second overhand came at me too fast and I had to roll to the side, feeling the air whistle where I’d stood moments before.

Still in a crouch, I watched as the other guard started attacking Serana. She had her fangs bared and her dagger in a fist.

_I should have given her something better to fight with._

The thought rang in my head, but a louder ring jolted me back to my own battle. The steel of my attacker’s blade had smacked me in the helmet. It went flying off into the bushes. Darkness splotched my vision. I fell onto my back, tightening my core to heft my blade in defense.

“By the gods, she’s a vampire!” I heard someone shout.

I saw spots, but it wasn’t enough to stop me from seeing the next blow arching toward my neck.

“TIID!” I shouted. A painful concussion jarred my skull from the Thu’um. Then time froze around me.

The birds above froze mid-flight. Wind ceased its buffet on the trees around us. The battle between Serana and the other guard was moving slow enough for me to see that her dagger had become useless against his armored offense.

I staggered to my feet.

The guard had become locked in a strike towards me. His form was off, one foot too far forward. His shield hung too low, prepared for a counter from the ground.

But I was standing now.

I knew it’d stop the time warp if I touched or interacted with anything. I needed to dispatch the man before I could help Serana.

So, I did what I thought was the best course of action.

I kicked the frozen guard in the balls.

Sound sped back up, a groan turning to staccato in my ears. The crash of steel from the man before he _whooshed_ out his breath and fell to his knees. His face turned red behind the helmet.

I turned to Serana.

She side-stepped an incoming blow. It was a fake, but only a trained swordsman would’ve caught it.

I watched in horror as his wrist flicked the blade sideways mid-strike.

“Serana!” I exclaimed, throwing myself at her.

I crashed into her stomach, surely knocking the breath out of her. A moment later, the guard’s sword came slicing into my side. The steel parted my armor like butter and didn’t stop at my skin.

I fell on top of her, knocking the air out of my own lungs.

“Zia—what?” Ludicrous that I save her, right?

To my surprise, our momentum carried both of us down the hill.

Every impact shot pain through a different part of my body. I saw dirt then the sky then dirt again. We rolled off the edge of a small cliff. I watched uselessly as the ground sought to meet us faster than I’d wanted.

“Shit!” Serana’s voice was almost a laugh as we continued to tumble.

Finally, we slowed. I gathered my bearings, head spinning.

The vampire next to me looked as if she were lopsided, still rolling down a hill.

“Sorry.” I gasped. Everything was aching.

She clutched at her sides and pointed uphill, wordless. I knew what it meant. _The guards were still coming after us._

“Quick, this way is fastest!” I shouted, reaching for her hand. My fingers found nothing in the air. I had reached for something that was still moving to and fro in front of my eyes.

“You’re useless.” Serana mocked, taking my hand from me.

I turned us around and together we sprinted into the undergrowth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those who read this far, you have NO idea how grateful I am that you're engrossed in my work <3 <3
> 
> I've never received feedback or ~kudos~ for anything I've written before (bc no one reads this stuff but me lmao). Thank you so much.
> 
> Next chapter coming soon i promise :)


	6. Get Help!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a while to complete sorry y'all (I just got on my university's esports team yuhh)

**Serana**

As soon as the pair were deep enough in the forest, both women could slow down and grab some air.

“Why are you so out of breath?” Zia wheezed, clutching her side. “Don’t you have some immortal sense of stamina?”

“It’s the sun.” Serana rolled onto her back, shielding her eyes from the sunlight flickering through the leaves. “I don’t know how you can stand it. It’s like it’s burning the skin off my bones.”

Described accurately, the rays glimmering off her exposed skin started to itch like a bad sunburn. She sat up, leaning over to shade herself. A smell wafted into her nostrils. Serana looked around, searching for its source.

She knew that smell. _Blood._

“Are you okay?” With nothing else within her line of sight, she looked up at the Dragonborn.

“Yeah. One of the guards cut me up.” The woman lifted the back of her armor.

The smell hit the vampire like a lancer at full sprint. She recoiled immediately, nostrils flaring. Her own fangs unwillingly slid out of her gums. _By the daedra, this woman was going to get herself killed._

The entire lower half of her undershirt was colored scarlet red. A glob of blood _dripped_ off the edge of her back plate, staining the ground beneath her.

“You’re not gonna. . .” Zia’s face was pale, but she seemed more worried about Serana’s reaction.

Said vampire had dug her fingers into the dirt, praying some resistance would keep her instincts at bay. The vampire’s thoughts came faster than she could manage. _She’s just another human. She’s killed your blood-kin. No one would notice if you drained her dry in the dark of the forest_. Serana swallowed . . . and shoved her hunger away.

“When did that happen?” Serana croaked. Her throat was _parched_.

“Well, I _did_ leap in front of a swinging sword to knock you over.” Zia chuckled, “There’s a potion in my bag, would you grab it?”

Even Zia looked surprised by her own suggestion that Serana help. Nevertheless, she was losing blood faster than imaginable and Serana didn’t exactly want a dead companion on her watch.

She held her breath as she walked closer. Her fingers worked the knots in Zia’s pack at arm’s length. Once confident that she had herself under control, she eased her arm down into the pack.

Suddenly, her fingertips grazed something cold and squishy.

“What the fuck is in there, a dead body?” Serana gasped, withdrawing her hand from the bag.

“Just get the potion!” Zia crowed, “If it’s a body it’s already dead; I, however, don’t want to be.”

“Right. Right.”

She gritted her teeth, sliding her hand past the slimy object until she could feel a bottle.

“This the one?” Serana held it out.

“Yeah.” Sweat beaded the Dragonborn’s forehead. As soon as Serana pulled out the potion, she collapsed onto the floor.

“Oh daedra above.” Serana exasperated.

“I’m alright. Just. . .pour it on my. . .” Zia tried lifting an arm to help.

“Stop, I’ll get it.” She shooed the woman’s hand away, “You’d think someone with the voice of a dragon wouldn’t be felled by some lowly guard.”

She made quick work of the injury, pouring the thick liquid over the oozing cut and grabbing a handful of linens from the girl’s pack.

“The potion should be enough,” Zia huffed, blinking as if she were seeing spots.

“I’m going to patch it up anyway. It won’t stop the bleeding as fast as some good bandages will.”

But to her surprise, the potion took immediate effect, clearing the wound of blood and slowly mending the split skin right before her eyes.

Zia looked at her from the corner of her eye pointedly.

“I’m still going to wrap you.” _For my sake too. I don’t want to see you bleeding any longer than you do._

**Zia**

The potion burned when it touched my skin, but warmed where the wound hurt the most. I felt like all my strength had waned out of me. That was new, because most cuts I’d received weren’t enough to make me almost lose consciousness.

Then again, I used to travel with Lydia and even she could dodge a sword or two without my intervention.

Serana was probably worn out by the sun a lot more than I’d presumed.

Speaking of the vampire, her arms laced around my torso as I crouched on my hands and knees. She threaded a long strip of fabric around and around my stomach, only pausing when it met my laceration. I was sure it had sealed up by now, my breathing came without jolts of pain and my limbs didn’t feel useless anymore.

Serana tied the knot, her hands fiddling at my side for a moment.

I moved to stand but something stopped me.

The woman’s hands pushed at my bare skin. Goosebumps raced up my back, feeling a cold palm press on the small of my back. She was careful not to touch the bandage.

“You should take it easy.” Her voice was close.

I turned my head, seeing her face nearly inches away from mine. The woman’s eyes were lingering on my own. The light of the sun cast a triangle of color onto her porcelain skin.

“Thank you.” I breathed. My eyes flitted from her mouth and back up to her orange eyes. I couldn’t believe myself. My heart was racing just seeing her those close to me. _Are you afraid of her, or do you want to kiss her?_ I swallowed.

I was graced with one of her rare smiles. The kind that crinkled up the corners of her eyes and wrought my mind with conflict.

_Why does she have to look so damn gorgeous every time she does something nice for me?_

“For a moment there, I thought you were going to try something.” She chuckled, releasing me from her tantalus gaze.

My stomach flipped and I just stared at her. _Wait, she could tell?_

Her eyes widened. She took a step back.

“I was . . .” I racked my brain, “I would try what?” _Act cool, Zia._

“Oh, nothing. I figured it’d be a good joke y’know, because you’re definitely not. . .” She frowned, as if realizing how awkward she started to sound.

“You’re a vampire. I’m dragonborn.” I shook my head, standing slowly, “That’s not something I want to think about.” And yet, saying that aloud enticed me even more. _Talos, Zia make up your mind. Do you want to kill her, or fuck her?_ I cringed outwardly at my own mentality.

“Anyway. . .I’d say we should get a place for you to recover, but it seems like Solitude is off the list.” Serana’s face masked her expression.

“I’m sure there’s somewhere we can set up camp.” I searched the woods, eager to change the subject as well.

“I would say we should just keep heading to the castle. But I don’t want you moving with that kind of injury.”

_And of course she still worries about you. Some asshole of a companion she’s got._

“The potion usually patches me up well enough.”

I started testing my flexibility and was immediately proved wrong when pain shot up my side. I knit my brow in frustration. _First, you get yourself kicked out of Solitude. Then you can’t move without being in pain. Maybe you’re not supposed to make a daedric sword. Maybe the divines are trying to tell you something._

I flicked my eyes to Serana. _Or maybe she’s doing a good job of weeding out your options._

“I don’t want you showing up at the castle with blood soaking your clothes either. We should wash up.”

That made sense. Pulling up to a castle full of vampires covered in dried blood was the quickest way to death.

“What do you think?” She asked.

I stood there in silence pondering the situation. On one hand, I wanted to craft a daedric sword. But on the other, the nearest forge was inside Solitude. To Serana, it would seem awfully suspicious if I wanted to go back to the hold if we could just rest in the forest. It seemed like I was out of options. I couldn’t hide my motive any longer.

“We’re going back to Solitude.” I concluded.

“How exactly are we going to manage that?”

“Well, the town back down the road won’t be selling fresh clothes. If I want to show up at your castle without blood all over me . . .” I peered up at the sun. It was nearly noon.

“Very well.” Serana motioned ahead, “What do you propose, we sneak in?”

“We should have enough time to get in and out before nightfall. If we can just take out those guards at the front, we can get in easily.” I unslung the bow from my back. _If I can land two good shots on them._

“You want to kill them? Wouldn’t that make your bounty higher?”

“Not if we do it my way.” I looked back the way we’d come. _If the guards had decided to pursue us, they’d already be here. They probably chose to keep watch rather than waste their time on us. No doubt, running through a forest wasn’t in their orders._

The two of us trekked back the path we’d made in the undergrowth until I could see the stone fortress ahead.

“Alright. Stop here.” I pushed Serana lightly. “I’m going to take out those guards, we stow the bodies in the bushes, and then we just walk in.”

“Sound easy enough. Can you hit them from this far away?” The vampire squinted her eyes, trying to make out the guards.

“No, I’m going to get closer.” I explained, “But you aren’t exactly trained in stealth as much as I—”

“I’ve been alive for who knows how many centuries and you’re doubting how well I can move quietly?” She cut me off.

“Uh, well . . .” _She had a point_. “You can get closer with me, but if anything goes wrong, book it west.”

“Book it . . .?”

Her question trailed off as I led the way closer to the two guards posted at the doors. The going was slow. Freezing every time my feet got too close to dead leaves, creeping around bushes, weaving between dead branches over the softest underfoot. Gratefully, Serana followed exactly as I stepped, making little to no sound trailing me.

Finally, we were within a couple dozen meters of the guards. One of them had picked up my helmet from the bushes where he’d whacked it. Apparently, it looked better than his own, but “our captain would never allow that kind of breach of protocol.”

My bow was already in my hands as I crept an arm up for an arrow.

I cursed, feeling nothing on my back. _Where had I put them?_

Serana’s hand met my own, her light touch grazing my calloused fingers as she placed an arrow in my hand.

I turned back to her; confused.

She gave me a _you’re dumb_ kind of look and I decided to ignore it.

I held up my fingers, _two please._

She had my quiver in her hand and just shoved it at me.

I rolled my eyes, taking the quiver over my shoulder. _How did I lose track of all my arrows? And when did she pick them up?_

Figuring the question was for later, I nocked the first arrow on my string. To think no one noticed us crouching in the bushes exchanging some random wordless conversation was kind of hilarious. I smirked to myself as I released the first arrow.

Almost instantly, I gripped the next one and let it fly.

The first arrow hit the guard with my helmet right in the throat. He gasped, stumbling over, blood shooting from his neck.

“Wha—” The second guard lurched over to him. My arrow went flying past his head.

“Shit.” I mumbled, fumbling for another.

The first guard was already dead, his hands wrapped around his throat, fingers threaded through the arrow protruding from it. The second guard heard my arrow slam into the door behind him and flung his shield over his form.

_Smart. He didn’t just search for me, he knew I’d send another one immediately after._

We were still hidden in the bushes, but all came to view when Serana stood up beside me and fired a shard of ice at the last man.

He stumbled, the shard ripping through his calf. I took the opportunity and already had the bow drawn. In the split second he exposed his face, my next arrow sailed through the gap in his helmet.

“HEL—”

His cry was cut short. He slumped to the floor, crushing the other body beneath him.

“Right.” I huffed, standing up, “easy work.”

Without a moment to spare, Serana sprinted ahead of me and moved to pick up the bodies.

Suddenly, the doors to Solitude creaked open. I awaited our fate, dreading the captain of the guard or the next shift to arrive.

But it was luck that came to us in that instant.

An old lady strode out of the doors, hobbling on a crutch.

Serana made eye contact with the woman and I watched as her expression molded right before my eyes. Surprise turned to horror.

“Help!” Serana wailed, tugging at the guard slumped over the other one, “The guards were shot! I just got here and—”

“Oh divines!” The old lady shrieked, clutching at her chest, “Someone, help!”

I traced my way over to the road, hearing the commotion at the front of the keep. In a flash, I had unstrung my bow and held it like it were a walking stick. I stashed my quiver into my bag and walked up the road nonchalantly.

“Oh my goodness, what’s going on here?!” I asked as I became in range of Serana and the older woman.

“This guard’s been. . .well, they’ve been. . .” The old lady wrapped her hand around her mouth, “They’re dead!”

“Get help!” Serana faked urgency, locking eyes with me.

I raced up the hill, shoving the gates open.

“Help, the guards have been killed!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

The clearing in front of me teemed with life, all heads turning at my declaration. Then suddenly the entrance couldn’t seem to hold enough attention. My eyes widened, realizing that someone in the horde would recognize my face.

Bodies shoved past me, completely disregarding my presence.

“What?” “Who could have done such a thing?” “How were they killed?” “Move, I’m a guard.” “Someone needs to pay for this.” “I can’t believe it.” “Two more to Sovngarde huh?”

I sucked air into my lungs, feeling like each and every person in the town had resolved to bowl me over. I couldn’t see anything but the sky overhead as the crowd overwhelmed me.

Then a cold hand gripped my own, and I was being yanked forward.

“Where to?” Serana’s voice called over the rising chatter.

“Take a left!” I shouted, gripping her hand tighter.

We weaved our way through the mass, stepping on feet and knocking over several children in the process.

And then we were inside the Winking Skeever.

“Talos, that was insane.” I breathed when the door shut behind us.

The tavern keeper looked over, oblivious.

“What’s insane?”

“Oh, uh. . .” I stammered.

“The guards holding the keep just got killed. The whole town’s outside to investigate.” Serana was quicker.

“Well, not the whole town.” The man scowled, “I’m sure I’ll hear all about it when those damn customers come back in to pay.” Then, under his breath, “ _If_ they come back to pay.”

“Right.” Serana whispered to me, “Do we stay here, or . . .”

“I’d like to rent a room!” I lifted my hand, “We’re not staying the night, is that alright?”

“Sure thing. It’s only five gold if you just need a place to clean up.” He looked pointedly at the blood stains on my armor. “Suspicious you’d want to leave so quickly after those guards were killed.”

“Uh, yeah. Why wouldn’t we want to leave? Solitude doesn’t seem very safe if their guards can get picked off so easily.” I waved off his suspicion.

“Right, whatever, first door on the left.” He nodded, taking my gold.

I closed the door behind us and slumped to the ground.

“Thank the gods that worked.”

“Yeah, the gods definitely.” I could basically hear her rolling her eyes, “Why couldn’t you just wash up in the river again?”

I blinked, looking up at her. My heart leapt to my throat. _What good reason was there to come to Solitude? To craft a daedric sword. To finish what I’d started._

I cleared my throat and stood. _After she saved my ass, I’m still plotting to betray her._

“Well. . .it’s not completely about cleaning up. . .” I began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anywho, it's kinda short bc I had writer's block even though there's LITERALLY a questline that makes the story for me.  
> I wanted to make the whole "serana sees blood" "omg" spot better, but describing it is hard when no one really knows what it feels like. Either way, next chapter comin before the weekend, ideally tomorrow, pero I'm actually playing skyrim instead of writing sooo forgive me for being late occasionally.  
> Thanks for reading!! <3


	7. Coming Clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's come to the point where Zia has to admit to her plan, but their growing connection separates her mind from her duty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for taking so long with updating my work! Moved into a new place and trying to adjust to zoom university :/  
> Either way, enjoy! I'll attempt to update every week or so, my classes are challenging. Also im going to start responding to comments bc i love you guys :)

**Serana**

The woman was nervous, clenching and unclenching her fists. It was a look Serana had never seen on Zia’s face ever before. Then again, she’d only known Zia for a week.

“Remember that thing you felt in my bag?”

“The fucking squishy thing that scared the shit out of me, of course.” Serana sat on the bed and loosened the ties on her boots. _Might as well get comfortable._

But what came out of Zia’s mouth next made her more uncomfortable than her boots could fix.

“That was a daedra heart. For crafting daedric weapons.” She confessed.

Immediately, “T-that’s fine.” Her eyes traced the dirt on the floor. Alarm wrapped her in a cold embrace. _She’s planning to kill me. This entire time I thought I could trust her. . ._

It wasn’t like she told her not to. It was her right. To do whatever she wanted. And yet, to think that not a day after Serana confessed her weakness, the woman would go out of her way to create such a thing?

“You’re not. . . upset?” Zia’s tone was a steel-headed arrow.

“You can do what you want. I didn’t tell you not to make one.” Serana finally looked up at her, “It’s not a bad idea, making daedric weapons before visiting Castle Volkihar.”

“Castle what-now?”

Despite her dread, the vampire let out a chuckle.

“Castle Volkihar. That’s where we’re going. It’s home to a lot of vampires, but only a few true vampires created by Molag Bal. It’d be an insult to carry a daedric weapon there, but safer if you were worried.”

Zia nodded, shrugging off her bag.

“I didn’t mean to make anything daedric to fight you.” The woman shook her head, “I meant it to defend myself or fight other vampires.”

_Right, sure, Dragonborn. Didn’t you vow to kill every vampire you’d meet?_

“Makes sense.” Serana watched the younger woman take off her armor, the tunic she wore underneath was splotched with deep mahogany stains.

“Do you want any help?” She changed the subject, “I can go grab a new shirt from one of the shops around here.”

“No, there’s a washbasin in the corner I can use.”

Without a second thought, the woman turned her back to Serana and lifted the last piece of clothing up and over her head.

The sight of her back yanked Serana’s heart into her throat.

She had scars, multitudes of scars, dazzling her shoulders. It was like a painter’s canvas, a really _fucked_ up painter’s canvas. Splatters of gashes and rings of burns traced up and down the woman’s back. The slashes of pink licked in all directions over her spine, leaving no shape to be distinguished.

It was like seeing the image of a naked back drawn by a blind person. The shapes there, yet you couldn’t make out where exactly shoulders met ribs and ribs met spine. She was the product of whippings and torture and witchcraft all molded in one.

The redguard flinched when Serana’s fingertips traced a particularly large scar across her shoulder blades.

“How did you . . .”

“I don't know. I can't remember.” Zia quipped, bending to drop her blouse in the washbasin.

“What do you mean, you can't remember?” She couldn't help the humidity that built in her eyes. _How can someone forget something like this?_ Serana took a step back. She cursed herself, but her eyes wouldn’t pull away.

“I can't remember anything past a few years ago. I woke up in a carriage, being taken to an executioner’s block.” Zia cleared her throat, “But they ache when it’s cold and that’s the only place I seem to get hit.”

“Someone needs to learn how to dodge.” Serana tried at a tease.

Zia scoffed, “No kidding. Whoever I used to be didn’t know what she was doing. Guess I’ve grown accustomed to being stabbed in the back.”

Serana swallowed the lump in her throat. _Who did this to you . . ._

“But enough about it. My scars are there and they’re not going away.” Zia’s face turned for a moment to catch Serana’s gaze, “I didn’t come here for your pity. I’ll be done cleaning my shit in a moment.”

The vampire made a small noise in the back of her throat that could have been taken as a response. She slumped over the bed. Tried to ignore her intruding thoughts about Zia. _So, what, she wants to protect herself? Anyone with that much abuse in their background would want to feel safe._

_But would a fear of backstab make someone strike first?_

Worry clouded the vampire's mind. She let her eyes walk the length of her companion's back as she pondered. _Would she come back to the castle with an army? Would Zia try to fight my father on the spot? She’d no doubt receive protection from Harkon when I spoke of her aid, but beyond that moment in time, how easily would she turn against me?_

“See something you like?” Zia’s voice echoed through her train of thought.

Serana blinked, realizing that the Dragonborn had turned around.

Her eyes were now staring directly at the woman’s chest.

If the blood could rise to her cheeks, it would have. She flicked her gaze to the ceiling, releasing a nervous breath.

“Sorry, I was just thinking . . .I didn’t mean to stare.”

“Mhm, yeah. Well, anyway, I’m just gonna dry this. . .” Zia snapped a flame into her palm, holding it under the sopping shirt, “ . . .And we can head to the forge up the street.”

The flames licked at the tunic, threatening to catch.

“Seriously?” Serana started, aghast, “You’re gonna burn it!”

She moved to stop the woman before realizing she literally had fire in her hand.

“You’re kidding.” Zia rolled her eyes, “What do you think I should do, hang it on a clothesline and wait for it to get those stupid pinches in the shoulders?” She looked around, incredulous, “Where should I put it?”

“You’re so—” Serana threw up her arms in frustration. _How? How did this woman survive all this time?_

“Hmm?” Zia cocked an eyebrow and set her hip. The hand engulfed in fire extinguished and planted on her side.

Serana’s eyes widened, once again realizing the woman was wearing nothing but her trousers. Despite the scars on her back, there wasn’t a trace of damage to the skin on her front. The vampire’s hyper-sensitive vision latched onto the peaks of her chest, tracing the distinction between dark and darker skin.

_How is she glowing. . ._ was a question that eased on the edge of her tongue.

“You—uh” Her tongue tripping in her mouth, “Just let it dry here.”

“You’re telling me to wait here with my tits out?”

“No!” _Yes. That’s exactly how you made it sound._

“Then what do you mean?” Zia scowled.

“Put your armor back on, I’ll stay here, and you can go make your _daedric_ thing.” Serana’s mind cleared up at the mention of a daedric weapon. “I’m sure you can make it a few hours without an undershirt.” She shooed the woman.

“I want to be ready to bolt in case someone recognizes me. What if I have to run?”

“You’re being ridiculous. Please, just cover up or something, _daedra above_.” Serana resorted to shielding her eyes to prove a point. But the point was ignored when Zia erupted in a dry laugh.

“You just want me to put a shirt on, don’t you?”

“Please, Zia, I don’t want to be here any longer than you do.” Serana grimaced behind the hand covering her face.

The redguard beside her scoffed under her breath. She quickly threw the damp shirt over her head, turning away. Despite her attitude, Serana caught the slight tinge of pink on the woman’s cheeks.

_We’re travelling partners, we’re both women, so why did your heart race at the sight of her half-naked?_

**Zia**

Serana put up with my muttering about soaked clothes until we got to the forge. She stood in silence as I melted and reheated and cast a shape out of my new sword. It wouldn’t do much damage against a regular opponent compared to my last sword, Chillrend, but the strength it had against vampires would prove more useful.

I caught her staring at me as I banged away on the anvil. Dark glowing pools flickering from my hands to my face.

_Is she sizing up the chances I’d attack her? What if she decides to kill me once we find the castle? I’d no longer be of use to her at that point. She’d get her end of the bargain._

Meanwhile, I was driven by the chance to fight more vampires. I was already expecting to report back to the Dawnguard, given it’d been a few weeks since I left for the first quest. Hopefully, they’ll accept my proposal to attack the castle.

_But Serana lives in that castle._

The intrusive thought struck me. Attacking the castle would mean attacking Serana.

“Done?” Serana asked, tightening her arms across her chest.

I glanced up. My mental pause had given hesitation to my next blow.

“Almost.” Sweat flicked off my arm as I brought hammer back down on the blade.

It took longer than I’d thought, and more reheating than I’d ever had to do before. I suppose that meant daedric steel was stronger than anything else I’d cast.

Soon, we were off again, the glimmering black blade resting nicely at my hip.


	8. Dangerous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensiooonnn

**Serana**

Just one glimpse of Zia’s sword made her skin crawl. It was like the first time you interacted with a knife, first in awe, and then in horror, seeing how sharp and capable it was of shearing into your skin.

The women left Solitude in silence. Walked nearly an hour in silence. Nothing but the crunch of dirt underfoot and birds cawing away.

She felt a pressure building the entire time. Each step was a concussion that jarred her heightened senses. Her eyes sought Zia’s and unconsciously, her gaze would drift lower until the nightmare of a weapon made her flinch her eyes away. It was like the woman carried a ward against her.

“Have you ever been this north before?” She sought conversation over awkward silence.

Taken aback by the sudden question, “Wha--?”

“Have you been farther north than Solitude before?”

“Well. . .” The redguard considered it, “Yes. But never so far west. I go up to Windhelm and Winterhold fairly often.”

“Really? Why?”

The two weaved around a tree before Zia replied.

“For one, the mages at the college. And for the second, the war.”

“Who’s fighting who?”  
“Essentially it’s loyal Nords against disloyal Nords. The empire outlawed worshipping Talos and they’ve sided with the Thalmor to get the rest of Skyrim to submit.”

“So, I take it you’re with the side of the ‘loyal Nords’” Serana grinned at her, feeling her smile wane at the sight of that damned black broadsword.

“Yeah, actually. Even if they are particular about certain races, they aren’t out to stop people from worshipping who they believe in.”

Serana took a few steps, “. . .so, who do you believe in? The divines include Talos, yes?”

The redguard looked haughtily into the snowbank before them. She looked pensive. Then dark.

“Nothing is actually proven except death. So, I suppose I believe in whatever luck caused me to survive execution all those years back. Even if it was a dragon, the odds that it’d attack me, the Dragonborn, just as I was about to have my head sliced off?”

The vampire pursed her lips. She had a point. It couldn’t have just been dumb luck. But also, it could have been some allure the Dragonborn had on other dragons; edging them to attack her all the time.

The wind picked up, stopping their small talk. At the peak of the snowbank, the way forward cast the ocean. Blisteringly cold sleet pouring across the turbulent water. Waves crashing into the bank, chucking seaweed and debris onto the shore before sucking back in what little remained.

“So, do we head down the shore?” Zia’s voice was shot in the wind.

Serana shook her head, “No, it’s across the shore!” She looked back down the hill they’d surmounted. It wasn’t too far from the sun-kissed forest, but in a matter of mere hours the weather had turned drastic. Dark clouds above, threatening to pour. The wind ripping snow up the ocean’s bank and directly toward them.

“Well shit. –you think— calm?” Zia had to get closer to Serana to make sure the woman could hear her.

The wind roared in her ears, but she made out her words by watching her lips.

“Make camp somewhere!”

“What?!” Zia’s voice cracked.

Serana was able to chuckle behind the roaring winds, but she was sure Zia caught it in her expression. Instead, she pointed back down the mountain.

Zia nodded, letting her take the lead.

Finally making their way into another cave nearby, Zia started furiously rubbing her face.

“Are you—are you alright?” Serana peered over at her, stepping under the precipice.

“Yeah.” She stopped, “I felt like my entire face went numb. Scared me for a second when ice got into my eyes. Thought I’d never see again.”

Serana eyed her curiously because the thought had never occurred to her. Going blind? From the sleet?

“When do you think the storm will clear?”

“I don’t know anything about oceans, or the heavens.” Serana scoffed, unbinding the scroll from her back.

Zia clucked her tongue, obviously annoyed by the quip.

“I would have thought I’d be halfway back to Riften by now.” She unbridled the blade from her hip, not noticing Serana’s discomfort with it, “Not squatting in another cave off the side of some snowstorm.”

“Y-yeah sorry.” The vampire’s eyes didn’t leave the sword. “How do you end up finding all of these caves anyway?”

Zia just shrugged, lying down on the hard earth beneath them. The wind outside whistled a gale into the room, and she shivered uncontrollably. Serana watched with mild interest as she sought a comfortable position on the floor.

Five minutes went by, and perhaps twenty different angles on the damp earth, before Serana spoke up.

“Do you want to rest your head on something?”

Zia’s eyes flicked open just as hard as she could shut them.

“I don’t want to sleep on top of your elder scroll. The stone is hard enough against my skull.” Her tone came out mockingly.

Serana frowned into her lap. She was comfortable just sitting against the wall. But then again, the cold to her wasn’t nearly as drastic as it was for Zia. _Why does she have to be so difficult?_ _Was it so hard for her to be nice to me? Is she even a nice person? Why do I care what she thinks? Why do I want to help her?_

Something changed between them again. It keeps happening. One minute the two are making sarcastic remarks to each other and the next Zia is cold and heartless. She couldn’t help but suspect it was a defense mechanism. Zia was afraid of being hurt. She was afraid of attaching herself to someone else and losing them. Or hurting them herself.

Serana knew what it felt like to grow close to someone, fully aware that she might hurt them, and then unintentionally shove them away out of her own fear for their safety. It was like a vampire’s code of emotional attachment. Become close enough to trust, but not close enough to care for.

It was likely the vampire would never see Zia again. She intended to hand the Elder Scroll over to her father and leave Skyrim for the better. By the time the Dragonborn came back to the castle with an army (she knew the woman wasn’t planning to take down the castle by herself), Serana would be long gone.

So, with the knowledge that this might be the last few hours they’d spend together, the vampire cleared her throat to speak.

“You can lie down on me.”

For a moment, Zia didn’t move. Then a sly smile crept up the side of her face and she slowly sat up.

The glint in her eyes made Serana’s breath hitch. _Does she think. . .? No. I’m a vampire._ The words Zia had uttered earlier in the day rang in her memory: _“You’re a vampire. I’m Dragonborn. That’s not something I want to think about”_ and yet, as two sets of eyes met, Serana felt a shiver race up her spine from the exchange alone.

“I meant your head on my lap.” Serana coughed slightly. Her eyes started watering. No, it was the snow on her forehead melting.

“I wasn’t implying anything if you weren’t.” Zia winked and strode over, kicking the dirt where she could lie down next to the vampire.

All Serana could do was roll her eyes. _Open for flirting but not emotional connection? Sounds typical._

She sat stock still as the weight of Zia’s head rested on her thighs. Her exposed neck throbbed with a pulse, a pulse that warmed against her lap and sent a zip of heat between her legs. Seeing the Dragonborn, one of—if not _the_ most powerful person in Skyrim, fully unprotected in her lap, made her shudder.

It must have been a lot of work hammering away at the forge today, because the woman’s breathing evened out and turned to light snores within a few minutes.

Her eyes took stock of Zia’s features. The gentle curve of her cheekbones, the folds of her soft nose, the slim but prominent outcrop of her jaw. All the way down to the tendons on her throat.

Her mind raced, imaging what scarlet rubies she might find under that firm skin. Without her intention, her fangs started to seep out of her gums. She clasped a hand over her mouth, quietly praying the woman didn’t look up at the sudden movement.

Serana’s eyes were like fire, flickering and raking the thick arteries that throbbed under chocolate skin. She couldn’t stop herself. Her left hand moved, reached, arched to brush the hair off Zia’s neck.

Goosebumps erupted on the side of her neck, sending a shiver down her back that Serana clearly felt with her fingertips.

“Sera—” She blinked awake.

Zia was cut short when the vampire’s hand closed on her neck. She was applying pressure, but not too much pressure. Just enough to let the woman know that she shouldn’t move.

A hard gulp swallowed down her throat, rolling her fingertips. Her entire body stiffened.

Serana kept her hand glued against her mouth, letting her other palm find purchase against the woman’s skin. The curve of her neck. Her thumb lightly kneading the softness just under her ear. Then, she tightened her grip to feel Zia’s pulse race against her.

“Don’t move.” She said softly, almost seductively. It wasn’t intended to come out playfully, but a smirk split her lips. She was loving it. Anyone else who grabbed Zia’s neck was sure to get a sword in the belly. But right now, that sword was a foot away, and a vampire had her hand clasped around her pulse-points.

She tapped her fingers across the front of her throat, causing the woman to swallow again.

“Serana.” Zia’s eyes sought her, flitted for reason, blinked away rising fear.

“Relax. I don’t play with my food.” _I’m not going to bite you._

Zia’s eyes widened. Her chest rose and fell more rapidly. She started for her sword.

“I won’t hurt you.” Serana’s hand became a vice. It kept Zia in place. Zia reached for the wrist at her neck.

The vampire softened her grip. She lowered her other hand that cupped her own mouth. Fangs dripped out of her lips, parting her smirk. Zia caught the glinting incisors and froze, eyes locked on her mouth.

Serana caught the terror in Zia’s eyes. Realized how tight her hand was around her throat. Felt the pain in the back of her throat, craning for blood.

Just as quickly as it happened, it was over.

She released Zia, pushing her off to stand. The cave suddenly clung to her, heat billowing around her and scents rushing into her skull.

“I need some air.”

She ducked under the cave entrance and sucked in a breath of crisp air.

_I never play with my food._ She scowled at her own phrasing. Looking down, she realized her hands were shaking.

_Wasn’t I just teasing to bite her? Why did I. . ._

The purpose wasn’t evident in her hunger for blood, but in the lingering image that stuck in her head. The image of Zia’s lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yall still read hA old news catch me on twitter @fayeface


	9. Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter to get the castle introduced, y'all know the storyline ;)

**Zia**

The cold ground seeped through my armor as I stared at the grooves in the top of the cave. Despite the chilling breeze, my body felt warmer than usual.

I traced the fading feeling of Serana’s hand where it had clutched my throat.

_“I don’t play with my food.”_

The tone of her voice resounding in my mind sent a shiver coursing through my body. She had that smirk. . .that dark, almost dangerously flirtatious look in her eyes. I sat up, heart hammering in my chest. _What was she playing at?_

I could see her outside in the snow, her frame distinct against the white of the terrain. Her shoulders were shaking, as if she were gasping for air, heaving with disbelief in her own actions.

“Serana!” I called. _STUPID, she almost fucking_ ate _you!_

Her head whipped around, hair catching in the wind. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of her: shapely, dark, hazy in the snowstorm. A weird feeling bubbled in my chest and I struggled to shove it down.

“Zia, I didn’t mean—” She was already halfway into the cave by the time I was done controlling myself.

“—no, it’s okay. I just uh. . .” _What are you thinking right now? Why did you call her over if you’re literally useless?_ “Are you alright?” _Why are you still talking?!_

“Yeah.” The mischievous look on her face was gone, replaced with surprise. Then her eyes traced me up and down as I stood, and her eyebrows grew concerned.

“Are _you_ alright?”

“Yes, um. . .” My eyes failed to pull away from hers. In my chest arose an odd tension, “I’m just confused.”

“I’m really sorry. I just—I wasn’t going to. . .” she paused as if afraid to finish her sentence.

“I know.”

My heart thudded in the back of my skull, like adrenaline remained in my system. _A thrill_. That’s what it was, being held at the throat by a vampire. A deep, exhilarating thrill. One I hadn’t felt in a while.

“You sure you’re okay?” She searched me curiously.

I didn’t even realize how long I was standing there, just staring at her with my heart thumping out of my chest.

“Yes.” I breathed. “How is the weather, did you see if the ocean is being any nicer?”

Despite chuckling at my description, Serana was shaking her head.

“It might be until tomorrow before it clears up. If you’re feeling urgent we can always try to row out to the island. Storms like to clear up for the castle.”

_Curious thing to say. Implying that vampires control the weather now?_

“I thought you said you knew nothing of the weather or the heavens?” I grinned, leaning to grab my sword.

Her jaw tightened when I lifted the weapon, and for the first time, I noticed how uncomfortable she looked. She didn’t even scoff at my tease.

“Hey.” I snapped my fingers in her face.

Eyes clicked up to me. Annoyed. Lingering doubt.

“I’m not gonna use it unless I have to.” I gripped her shoulder like any soldier would, clapping the side of her arm. “I’ll go if you guys control the weather.”

I ignored her sharp inhale at our contact, she was either afraid of my sword or. . .

The storm didn’t seem much calmer at all. As we picked our way down the side of the mountain, my eyes couldn’t make out any color a meter ahead.

I jumped when Serana’s hand landed on my shoulder.

“Sorry.” She gave me a truly apologetic look, like she really had no intention of touching me ever again. “The boat should be to our right.”

I nodded my understanding and searched the haze. Sure enough, there was a small dingy tied to the side of an outcrop just out of arm’s reach.

I stepped inside, praying it wasn’t a millennia-old and my foot wouldn’t just sink through the bottom. To my surprise, the only reaction the tiny old canoe had was to jitter in the water in search of balance.

“I’m surprised it’s lasted this long.” I muttered, turning to help Serana in. My arms outstretched to reach for hers.

I was greeted by a wave of gooseflesh that shook down my sides when her hands closed around my forearms. As soon as she had her balance, I released my grip like she was hot cauldron just out the fire.

“Yeah, I would assume they still need to get to the mainland for. . .well y'know.”

_Some system they have going on here. The castle invisible behind the ocean fog, so people just think they’re being taken by a madman who’s gonna sail a rowboat into the open seas._

I grimaced. My heart started racing again. The adrenaline coming back after it’d calmed down. We’re getting closer to the lair; I always felt like this at the final moments of a quest.

The two of us rowed in silence and, to my surprise, the ocean didn’t protest. The waves not a mile down the beach were vertical, crashing heaving blows onto the bank. To my left, the water churned underneath with a sort of energy. I looked around. There were stones jutting out of the ocean to the left and right of us, so many we often had to weave between them. That’s why the water was calmer here. The castle made for a breakwater and the stones kept the flow from being too nasty between the castle and the shore.

To my impending dread, a heavy darkness craned ahead of us. The castle wasn’t exactly the size of a hold, but a keep it was. Made of black stone, looming high into the air. As the shore of the island approached, I took note of the small watchtower erected outside. I scoffed, not much use having a watchtower for a castle full of vampires.

“This is your home?” I couldn’t help but crane to look up at it. My jaw slacked open. My neck ached when I sought the top.

“Yeah, home sweet. . .castle.”

The two of us leapt out and dragged the boat onto the shore. The sand underfoot was soft, as if no waves had struck this side of the island in a while. Annoyingly, my boots started sinking in the mud.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was so huge?” I wondered, stomping my way out of the mud.

She tied the boat down before replying.

“I didn’t want you to think I was one of those. . .” her eyes shot to me, embarrassed, “the women who sit in their castle all day. I don’t know. Coming from a place like this. . .well, it’s not really me. I hope you can believe that.”

I narrowed my eyes. _Women who sit in their castle all day, huh? Not really you? You’re telling me you’re_ not _some damsel in distress who needed to be fetched out of a locked coffin and escorted back to her castle?_

My hand fled to the handle of my sword. _Isn’t this the part where she flowers me with riches after being her savior?_ She caught my eye and gave a small smile. She was nervous too. _Or her parents offer the knight in shining armor the chance at her hand?_

I laughed aloud. Me? The knight in shining armor? More like studded steel and a shining black sword. Who would dare offer me a chance at her hand?

“What?” Serana was shocked by my sudden outburst. I grinned at her.

“I thought of you as a damsel in distress being locked in a cage for centuries just to be saved by a knight in leather armor.” Her eyes didn’t seem to be catching onto my ploy, “How your parents would reward me with riches and a chance at your hand. It seemed ridiculous because I’m not expecting anything but teeth in my throat when we get there.”

Finally, I saw a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. She snorted slightly and started us up the long pathway. “I don’t suppose you’re secretly a vampire huh?”

“Why?” I frowned, trailing slightly behind.

“They’d offer you my hand in marriage.”

I choked on my own breath.

“ _What?!_ But we’re both women? They would never—”

“Vampires can’t have children, Zia. The only point of marriage is to reward you with my body.”

She said the last part darkly. As if her family was more than welcome with giving up her freedom.

“Well that’s just bullshit.” I smiled, trying to up her mood, “But maybe being a vampire wouldn’t be too bad.”

If a vampire could blush, she was doing it. Her eyes sought the skies and she tugged on a few strands of loose hair.

I looked at the castle door. Our light banter faded from my mind. My fist tightened on my scabbard, nervously feeling for the grooves in the leather. Someone was standing at the front.

I turned to Serana, questioning.

“Hey, so…before we go in there…”

“What is it?” I peered my eyes at the man, but I couldn’t make out any features other than a thin face and deep-set eyes.

“I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. But after we get in there, I’m going to go my own way for a while. I think. . .I know the uhm, Dawnguard would probably want to kill everything in there…”  
I nodded my understanding. It’d be stupid to attack everyone in the castle anyway.

“Once we’re inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead.”

I pointed to the guy at the front. “Do I have to keep quiet about him, what’s he gonna do?”

To my surprise, I felt her cold hand on my wrist. I nearly jumped out of my skin until her eyes softened.

“Nothing. He’s a thrall.”

“How—how can you tell?” I lowered my hand from my sword.

“I can tell.”

Something in the back of my mind shivered. How she could tell when someone was just there for food…not very comforting.

Serana led me up the black stone, her eyes unwavering from our destination.

_Divines protect me in there._ I took a deep breath…and prayed I was worthy of the divines’ protection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading, I got the next chapter already queued up for release tmrw


	10. Volkihar Keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Harkon's intro! He's highkey just a dumbass but ehhh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy!

**Serana**

Zia was jittering all over. And by that, Serana meant she could smell the adrenaline flowing off the woman in waves. Hopefully she wouldn’t do anything stupid once they got inside the castle. The last thing she wanted was to pick sides between her abrasive companion and her even more abrasive father.

The question came into her mind _what if they do fight? Would I side with Zia?_

She shook her head, the thrall was walking toward them, she couldn’t be caught up in her thoughts at this moment.

“Who goes there?” He called, raising a hand to greet them.

“I would think you should know me, _thrall_.” Serana snarled.

At her side, Zia flinched. She knew this side of Serana existed, yet it still enticed fear in the Dragonborn. The slight movement brought a sly smirk to her lips.

“My apologies, I’m not versed—”  
“Tell Lord Harkon that his daughter has arrived at the castle and she wishes to speak with him.”

The thrall’s eyes widened as he realized who he was speaking to and he quickly flung the door open, “immediately m’lady.”

Not a click of a moment passed before Zia’s voice interrupted the tense silence.

“ _M’lady_?”

Serana shot her a look and took down the steps. The smell hit her like a bolt to the face. _Blood._ Dry blood, drying blood, and fresh blood. The floor under her feet wafted with the stench.

From the scrunch in Zia’s nose, Serana could tell Zia noticed the smell too.

The hall stretched before them, long tables at each side. Heavy-set stone rose nearly 30 meters high above them. The room was massive, an overlooking outcrop in the back, staircases rising to the top where an overview of the dining area was always visible. Bloodhounds prowling left and right.

What struck Serana as the most intriguing were the eyes of multiple vampires whom she had never met meeting her with challenge. She was the princess of the castle. The heir to the throne. And their hostility toward her shed a light on the control her father had. Everyone in the castle was prying for power.

Just as a noble might seek favor in a castle's guard for more protection, a vampire at this castle would prey on another for more leverage within the masses.

Lord Harkon had his power in strength, as a vampire lord, so few would challenge his position. And although it might be several centuries before he fell from the throne, as soon as it happened, he had established far too little order for his court to settle peacefully on the next lord

Now Serana became competition. Competition she didn’t want anything to do with.

Besides the angry glares, Serana found her eyes drawn to what lied on the tables. Dead and dying bodies moaning and groaning. The sound of wet flesh being gnawed on.

Fangs threatened to drip out of her own gums, but she held them back with a painful ache for Zia’s sake.

“Serana!” A booming voice called her attention.

Heavy steps were muffled by the blood-adorned carpet in the middle of the hall. She remembered that carpet. All the blood-letting that’d been done to achieve it’s level of color. It seemed like only yesterday.

“My lovely daughter has returned!” Her father’s smile didn’t meet his eyes. “I trust you have my Elder Scroll?”

Serana studied his face before replying. The usual wrinkles you’d find on someone’s eyes weren’t there, he was a man who grinned with malice, not cheerfulness. He had a large cape much like her own dressed about his shoulders, and he stood more than two meters tall. His cheeks were caved but his eyes wild. Seems he’d decided to grow out a beard too.

“After all these years, that’s the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll.” She set her hips, biting her lip to keep her own attitude in check.

“Of COURSE I’m delighted to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud? Ah, if only your traitor mother—” Serana’s breath caught in her chest, “—were here, I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike. Now tell me, who is this stranger you have brought into our hall?”

“Some family reunion.” She heard Zia scoff only loud enough for the two of them to hear.

Serana shot her a look. “This is my companion who helped me out of the crypt—"

He cut her off, “For my daughter’s safe return, you have my gratitude. Tell me, what is your name?”

Zia’s eyes were wide, taking in the entirety of the castle. The stairways, doorways, and tables covered in a deep scarlet. The bloodhounds wandering with a snarling, almost metallic odor.

She blinked as if she didn’t realize he has spoken to her.

“You first.”

Serana bit the inside of her lip. _Daedra above, Zia, for once please just—_

“I am Harkon, lord of this court…”

_Psh, some court._

“…By now, my daughter will have told you what we are?” He extended his palms, gesturing to the abundance of bloodied . . well… _everything_ in the castle.

“You’re. . .” Zia tapped her chin and scoffed out a guess, “a reclusive, cannibalistic cult.”

 _You’re too cocky for your own good._ Serana rolled her eyes, simultaneously begging that her father be in a good mood.

“Not quite.” He chuckled. _Praise the daedra._ “Though I can see how an outsider might arrive at that conclusion. No, we are vampires, among the oldest and most powerful in Skyrim.”

Zia opened her mouth to comment, but Harkon cut her off again.

“For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away that which I valued most.”

Serana rolled her eyes. He definitely cared about the Elder Scroll more than her. His words simply insinuated that he could value her.

There was an awkward pause between the three of them, only to be filled with the grunts of a bloodhound uncomfortably closer than Serana would have liked.

“So. . .what happens now?”

Serana grimaced. _Dear Molag, this woman really didn’t let me take the lead._

“You have done me a great service, and now you must be rewarded. There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter. I offer you my blood.”

_Right, like Zia would ever accept becoming a vampire._

“Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again.”

Zia met her glance with a look that said; _“Is he always this dramatic?”_

“And if I refuse your gift?”

Serana’s eyes widened. No matter how Zia played her cards, if she refused to turn into a vampire, she’d become an enemy of the castle.

“Then you will be prey, like all mortals. I will spare your life this once, but you will be banished from this hall. Perhaps you still need convincing?” He spat.

Before either women could react, a low growl erupted from Lord Harkon’s chest. He started transforming before their very eyes. His muscles bulged under his skin, pulling and stretching at fabric until it ripped and tore. She didn’t know it was terrifying but seeing the look on Zia’s face watching his skin stretch and snap apart over his muscles was more entertaining. A roar of pain left his throat as he started lifting off the ground with green, gangly wings tearing out of his shoulders. His face morphed into an ugly snarl, teeth dripping with saliva and nails curling longer than his fingers.

“Behold the power! This is the power that I offer! Now, make your choice!” He bellowed, his eyes sinking like pits.

Serana looked away, embarrassed. _Can this get more dramatic?_

“I don’t—” Zia’s mouth was open. Serana’s hands twitched to close it. “I won’t become a vampire. I refuse.”

“So be it! You are prey, like all mortals. I banish you!” He flicked his hand over the Dragonborn.

“Wait!” Serana lurched to stop him.

Zia’s eyes rolled back in her sockets. She crumpled to the floor.

“Daedra above, Harkon, I could have just walked her out.” Serana stood with Zia unconscious at her feet. The woman’s legs had given underneath her. Her arms sprawled out at awkward angles.

“Do not question—”

“You’re ludicrous.” Serana sighed, shaking her head.


End file.
